– Focuses on a disastrous wedding reception where the protagonist's clinical depression sabotages the evening.

– Shifts to Justine’s sister, Claire, as a rogue planet named "Melancholia" hurtles toward Earth. The film suggests that those with depression are often more prepared for catastrophe than those who are "stable".

There are several notable books where "Melancholia" appears in the subtitle, often exploring social or historical themes: