Character Relationship Map: Rio das Mortes

Characters

• Hanna (played by Hanna Schygulla) — protagonist

  Hanna is Michel's girlfriend and wants to marry him, but he is not interested. She opposes the plan to sell the car and travel to Peru in search of treasure. Rejected by Michel and Günther, she is abo...

• Günther (played by Günther Kaufmann) — supporting

  Günther is Michel's friend and partner in their plan to find treasure in Peru. The two men lead a dull life in Munich, obtain a map of the Rio das Mortes area, and struggle to raise money for the jour...

• Michel (played by Michael König) — supporting

  Michel is Günther's friend and Hanna's boyfriend. Uninterested in marrying Hanna, he joins Günther in pursuing a treasure map and planning an expedition to Peru. The pair sell the car and try to raise...

• Katrin (played by Katrin Schaake) — supporting

  Katrin is connected to Joachim, her boyfriend, who studies Central American history. Through that connection, she provides Michel and Günther with a possible route to recast their Peru journey as a re...

• Joachim - Katrins Freund (played by Joachim von Mengershausen) — minor

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Hanna → Michel (Romantic Boyfriend And Girlfriend) — Hanna's relationship with Michel is strained by his commitment to the Peru expedition and their different expectations for the future.

  The character profile identifies Hanna as Michel's girlfriend. The plot says they live together and Hanna expects to see him again in six months when...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Katrin → Joachim - Katrins Freund (Social Friends) — Katrin's connection to Joachim gives Michel and Günther a route to consider presenting their journey as a research expedition.

  The plot describes Joachim as Katrin's friend and says Katrin's connection to him introduces a possible research-expedition approach.

• Hanna → Günther (Social Housemates In A Tense Arrangement) — Günther's move into Hanna and Michel's home brings their financial plan into their domestic life and creates tension.

  Günther moves in with Hanna and Michel to help them save money, and the plot says the arrangement causes tension.

• Michel → Günther (Alliance Expedition Partners) — Their shared treasure-hunting ambition drives their joint efforts to plan and finance the journey.

  Michel and Günther study an old map, plan a journey to Peru to search for treasure, and work together to find funding for the expedition.

Story Analysis

An improbable treasure expedition tests the practical limits of Michel and Günther's ambition while complicating Hanna's relationship with Michel.

Plot Progression

1. A Map and a Distant Dream — Hanna faces questions about marriage and expectations while Michel and Günther become captivated by an old map. The two friends turn it into a plan to seek treasure in Peru.
2. The Cost of Escape — The expedition proves far more expensive than Michel and Günther can afford. Günther moves into Hanna and Michel's home to save money, adding strain to their shared domestic life.
3. Plans Without Backing — A proposed Peruvian cotton farm fails to persuade an investor, who refuses after questions about the financial figures and market risk. Katrin's connection to Joachim offers a possible research-expedi...
4. A Loan and a Farewell — A benefactor lends the friends money after hearing about Michel's filmmaking ambition and their treasure plan. With travel preparations completed, Hanna discusses her passport and asks Michel not to a...