In post-war Germany, teenager Michael Berg develops a passionate secret affair with Hanna, a stranger twice his age, after she helps him recover from scarlet fever. Their relationship deepens as Hanna is enthralled by Michael's readings from classic literature. However, Hanna disappears suddenly, leaving Michael heartbroken. Eight years later, Michael encounters Hanna again as a defendant in a Nazi war crime trial, leading to a revelation that changes their lives forever.

The Reader
In the aftermath of World War II, a young law student returns to her past love in post-war Germany, while facing a daunting trial for her role in the conflict's atrocities.