In IM SPINNWEBHAUS, director Mara Eibl-Eibesfeldt tells the poignant story of an overwhelmed single mother (Sylvie Testud) and her three children Jonas, Nick and Marie, told in a gritty black-and-white style. The social drama begins with the everyday challenges of family life: picking Jonas up from school, getting to Marie's daycare on time and dealing with hyperactive Nick, a pupil at a special school. The situation escalates when the mother decides to take the children to their father, but he refuses to accept them.

The mother goes to a psychiatric hospital to battle her inner demons, while the children stay at home and take an oath to conceal their absence. In the meantime, the family drama turns into a fairytale story. The children are left to their own devices in their squalid apartment, building dens and collecting bugs.

A key character in IM SPINNWEBHAUS is Felix von Gütersloh, played by Ludwig Trepte. He is a charismatic gothic street person who befriends Jonas. While Jonas tries to keep his family together and maintain the lies about his mother's absence, Felix offers a contrast with his unconventional spider philosophy and poetic advice.

The film gradually transforms into a symbolic dream world in which the children struggle to preserve their childhood in a challenging and often hostile world. IM SPINNWEBHAUS develops into a surreal experience that transports the audience into a fascinating mixture of reality and fantasy.