The remote village of Wiesenwalde is turned upside down when an American crew comes to film a series about the Second World War.

Mayor Susanne in particular senses an opportunity to put her home on the tourist map and defy demographic change. Her son Tobi is hired as a driver for the crew - nobody knows at first that he has actually failed his driving test.

Then, after years of absence, Bert, a would-be journalist and the mayor's ex-boyfriend, turns up. Bert believes he can profit from the American guests. At the same time, the village elder Rosi is secretly planning the burial of old ideals - including her own - while her young neighbour Wolffi naively dreams of being discovered by Hollywood in Jenny's village pub.

When the power suddenly fails and a tank is parked in front of the mayor's house, the ambitious mammoth project in Wiesenwalde threatens to get out of hand.