Whatever Happens Next is a drama-comedy road movie that follows the story of a middle-aged German man, Paul, who is a successful writer. However, despite his success, he is deeply unsatisfied with his life and feels trapped in a boring routine. One day, he decides to drop everything and set out on a road trip to France without any concrete plan or destination. He blows off his publisher's promotional events and leaves his wife behind without telling her where he's going.
Throughout the journey, Paul sheds all his responsibilities and becomes a wandering figure, completely open to whatever challenges and adventures life throws at him. He meets different people along the way and experiences many unexpected encounters, from a hitchhiker who offers him a joint to a friendly couple in a motorhome who invite him to join them for dinner. At one point, he even ends up sleeping in his car at a gas station. All of these experiences push him out of his comfort zone and forces him to confront his own identity and desires.
As he travels deeper into the French countryside, Paul becomes increasingly drawn to the beauty and poetry of the undefined life. He starts to realize that true freedom and self-determination come from detaching oneself from societal norms and following one's inner voice. The film ultimately becomes a parable of the search for the meaning of life, full of humor and existential questions.
Whatever Happens Next is a film directed by Julian Pörksen, starring Sebastian Rudolph, Lilith Stangenberg, and Peter René Lüdicke. It premiered at the Filmfest Munich in 2018 and was nominated for several awards at international film festivals.