The GDR is still young, but Thomas Brasch (Albrecht Schuch) already doesn't fit in. It is above all his father Horst (Jörg Schüttauf), who wants to help build the new German state. But Thomas, the eldest son, would rather become a writer. Thomas is a dreamer, obsessive and a rebel.

His first play is banned and soon he is expelled from film school. When in 1968 the Soviet tanks rolled through Prague, Brasch protested with his girlfriend Sanda (Ioana Jacob) and other students by a flyer campaign in the streets of Berlin – and gets caught.

His own father betrays him and Thomas Brasch is sent to prison. Released on parole, Brasch works in a factory and writes about love, revolt and death. But there is nothing to be done with someone like him in the GDR.

With no prospect of being heard, Thomas leaves home with the woman he loves (Jella Haase). In the West, he is initially acclaimed, makes several feature films, and is invited to Cannes twice. But Brasch does not allow himself to be taken in. Even after the fall of the Wall, back in East Berlin, he is far from being at peace.

"DEAR THOMAS" is a production by Zeitsprung Pictures in coproduction with NDR (Christian Granderath), BR (Claudia Simionescu), WDR (Frank Tönsmann) and Arte (Andreas Schreitmüller), funded by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, BKM Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien, FFA Filmförderungsanstalt and DFFF Deutscher Filmförderfonds. Wild Bunch Germany has taken over the German sales and The Match Factory has taken over the world sales.