The Night Bell

Hailed as a genius early in his career as a biologist, Irene's father, now at retirement, is a man who has lost his way. The narrative revolves around two visits made by Irene, one to her former home in Germany and the other to a vacation house in Italy. Through memories, dreams, and stories she has been told about the family's past in Nazi Germany, she tries to come to terms with her father's alcoholism and the dissolution of her parents' marriage. The result is a complex and ultimately redemptive portrait.