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Fatherland

Play trailer 1:34 Poster for Fatherland In Theaters Oct 23 1h 22m Drama Biography History Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 56 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Verified Ratings
FATHERLAND centers on the relationship between the Nobel Prize-winning writer Thomas May (Hans Zischler) and his daughter Erika (Sandra Hüller) -- actress, writer and rally driver. In the summer of 1949, at the height of the Cold War, father and daughter embark on a challenging and emotional road trip in a black Buick taking them across a Germany in ruins -- from US dominated Frankfurt to Soviet controlled Weimar. Returning home after sixteen years in exile in the US, Thomas Mann has to face not only a divided fatherland, but also a deep fracture within his own family. With FATHERLAND, Pawlikowski picks up where he left off with his award-winning IDA and COLD WAR, exploring -- in his elliptic, distilled style -- the themes of identity, family, love and guilt amid the turmoil and confusion of post-war Europe.
Coming Soon In Theaters Oct 23 Buy Tickets
Fatherland

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Pairing Hanns Zischler and Sandra Hüller in a quietly compelling father-daughter dynamic, Fatherland continues director Paweł Pawlikowski's exploration of post-WWII Europe with characteristic intelligence and refinement.

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Cast & Crew

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Paweł Pawlikowski

Director

Hanns Zischler

Thomas Mann

Sandra Hüller

Erika Mann

August Diehl

Klaus Mann

Anna Madeley

Betty Knox

Devid Striesow

Johannes R. Becher

Critics Reviews

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Nick Schager The Daily Beast Oct 4, 2026
A story about the difficulty and necessity of reckoning with yesterday to forge a worthier tomorrow, it’s a gorgeous, gripping drama whose resonance transcends its chosen post-WWII period. Go to Full Review Eli Friedberg Slant Magazine Sep 28, 2026
2.5/4
Paweł Pawlikowski’s lates introduces itself in an emotional texture that its gracefully somber companion films hardly touched: an ironic and bitter humor. Go to Full Review Robert Daniels RogerEbert.com Sep 9, 2026
3.5/4
To watch Paweł Pawlikowski’s eloquent drama "Fatherland" is to commune with an artist in full command of his medium. Go to Full Review Avi Offer NYC Movie Guru 20 hrs ago
A slow-burning and understated, but emotionally cold drama with stunning cinematography. Go to Full Review Dionar Hidalgo Algo Más Que Cine 4 days ago
8/10
Pawel Pawlikowski crafts an elegant, melancholic portrait of a divided Germany, enriched by Lukasz Zal's striking cinematography and Sandra Hüller's nuanced performance. Intellectually rich and visually exquisite, though emotionally restrained. Go to Full Review Jason Adams Pajiba Oct 6, 2026
This is the second film starring the extraordinary actor [Sandra Hüller] that’s screening at this year’s New York Film Festival ... and it’s yet more proof she’s truly a generational talent. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
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Fatherland

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Fatherland

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Movie Info

Synopsis FATHERLAND centers on the relationship between the Nobel Prize-winning writer Thomas May (Hans Zischler) and his daughter Erika (Sandra Hüller) -- actress, writer and rally driver. In the summer of 1949, at the height of the Cold War, father and daughter embark on a challenging and emotional road trip in a black Buick taking them across a Germany in ruins -- from US dominated Frankfurt to Soviet controlled Weimar. Returning home after sixteen years in exile in the US, Thomas Mann has to face not only a divided fatherland, but also a deep fracture within his own family. With FATHERLAND, Pawlikowski picks up where he left off with his award-winning IDA and COLD WAR, exploring -- in his elliptic, distilled style -- the themes of identity, family, love and guilt amid the turmoil and confusion of post-war Europe.
Director
Paweł Pawlikowski
Producer
Mario Gianani, Lorenzo Mieli, Ewa Puszczyńska, Jeanne Tremsal, Edward Berger, Dimitri Rassam, Lorenzo Gangarossa
Screenwriter
Paweł Pawlikowski, Hendrik Handloegten
Distributor
MUBI
Production Co
Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej, Extreme Emotions, MUBI
Genre
Drama, Biography, History
Original Language
German
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 23, 2026, Limited
Runtime
1h 22m
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