1 / 8
RUNTIME
Did you know
82 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Fatherland
2026 1h 22m PL
👍
7.3
SOLID
★7.3TMDB · 29
DramaHistory
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
In 1949, German writer Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika embark on a road trip across a Germany in ruins, from US-dominated Frankfurt to Soviet-controlled Weimar.
“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”
Cast
Sandra Hüller
Erika Mann
Hanns Zischler
Thomas Mann
August Diehl
Klaus Mann
Anna Madeley
Betty Knox
Devid Striesow
Johannes R. Becher
David Menkin
Arthur Quint
Joachim Meyerhoff
Gustaf Gründgens
Enno Trebs
Wieland Wagner
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Paweł Pawlikowski
- Writers
- Paweł Pawlikowski, Hendrik Handloegten, Kacper Lipiński
- Languages
- German, English, Russian, French, Polish
- Countries
- Poland, Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 5 languages: German, English, Russian, French, Polish.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 5 countries: Poland, Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, shot by Łukasz Żal. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Marcin Masecki. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Piotr Wójcik shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler and August Diehl carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Paweł Pawlikowski directs. Łukasz Żal behind the camera. Marcin Masecki scores. Piotr Wójcik cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Poland, Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom. Dialogue in German, English, Russian, French, Polish.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 182 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
- 2Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.
- 3Dialogue crosses 5 languages: German, English, Russian, French, Polish.
- 4International production across 5 countries: Poland, Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom.
- 5Directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, shot by Łukasz Żal. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Marcin Masecki. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Piotr Wójcik shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler and August Diehl carry the top of the cast.
- 9IMDB entry: tt37304295 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Only 29 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 11Classified under 12 themes, including "based on novel or book", "germany", "road trip", "black and white".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Łukasz Żal
- Original score
- Marcin Masecki
- Editing
- Piotr Wójcik
- Production design
- Katarzyna Sobańska
- Costume design
- Aleksandra Staszko
- Makeup / hair
- Waldemar Pokromski
- Runtime
- 82 min · 1h 22m
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $11,700,000
- Original language
- PL
Awards
- Meeting Point Europe Award
Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.
Also by
Paweł Pawlikowski
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Our Films
IT
Extreme Emotions
PL
Nine Hours
DE
Chapter 2
FR
Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych we Wrocławiu
PL
CANAL+ Polska
PL
Dolnośląskie Centrum Filmowe
PL
- SI
Silesia Film
PL
- CI
Circle One
IT
ARTE France Cinéma
FR
Pathé
FR
MUBI
GB
Key crew
- ProducerEdward Berger
- EditorPiotr Wójcik
- Production DesignKatarzyna Sobańska
- Production DesignMarcel Sławiński
- Costume DesignAleksandra Staszko
- ProducerMario Gianani
- ProducerLorenzo Mieli
- ProducerEwa Puszczyńska
- ProducerJeanne Tremsal
- ProducerDimitri Rassam
- ProducerLorenzo Gangarossa
- Executive ProducerEfe Çakarel
- Makeup DesignerWaldemar Pokromski
- EditorPaweł Pawlikowski
- Production ManagerMarcin Kupiecki
- SoundTarn Willers
- SoundLars Ginzel
- CastingNina Haun
- CastingMagdalena Szwarcbart
- CastingKaren Lindsay-Stewart
- Executive ProducerViola Fügen
- Executive ProducerAndrea Scarso
- Executive ProducerTimo Argillander
- Executive ProducerOgnjen Dizdarevic
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- based on novel or book
- germany
- road trip
- black and white
- writer
- docudrama
- east germany
- journey
- west germany
- father daughter relationship
- cold war era
- occupied germany
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2026-10-04· New York Film Festival
- Premiere2026-10-01· Aspen Film Festival
- Premiere2026-09-05· Telluride Film Festival
- Premiere2026-10-06· Mill Valley Film Festival
- Premiere2026-10-05· Hamptons International Film Festival
- Premiere2026-10-18· Woodstock Film Festival
- Premiere2026-10-17· New Hampshire Film Festival / Montclair Film Festival / FilmColumbia Film Festival / Philadelphia Film Festival
- Premiere2026-10-16· Chicago International Film Festival / Santa Fe International Film Festival / Middleburg Film Festival
- Premiere2026-10-20· Newport Beach Film Festival
- Premiere2026-10-14· Orcas Island Film Festival
Also known as
International titles
- VaterlandDE
- FatherlandDE
- 1949DE
- Vaterland 1949PL
- 1949FR
- Tierra de mi padreAR
- DomovinaCZ
