Fatherland

Play trailer

1:34

Fatherland

Now Playing

1h 22m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

111 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 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.

Now in Theaters

Now Playing

Buy Tickets

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

1 day ago

3.5/4

A haunting but quiet reflection on the past that sneaks up and hits you with a groundswell of emotions.

Go to Full Review

Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

1 day ago

4/5

How do you heal an entire country when you can’t even heal your family? Or heal yourself?

Go to Full Review

Mark Kermode

Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube)

2 days ago

I thought it was really poignant, really kind of profound.

Go to Full Review

Ray Pride

Newcity

56 min ago

10/10

Pawlikowski works from surfaces to capture inner emotions, to deeply affecting result. He indicates rather than underlines; his command of ellipsis offers a kind of understated bravura.

Go to Full Review

Al Alexander

Movies Thru the Spectrum

23 hrs ago

B+

If "Fatherland" scores Oscar nominations, as expected, it will largely be due to Łukasz Żal, arguably the finest cinematographer working today, and Sandra Hüller, incomparable at conveying strength and vulnerability in one of her best performances.

Go to Full Review

Sonny Bunch

The Bulwark

1 day ago

3/4

Hüller delivers one of the performances of the year as Erika.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Anton A

2 days ago

What a nice, quiet and slow film!

See more

Gerald K

5 days ago

Sandra Hüller's performance is excellent

See more

Zachary S

@Zach154 14 hrs ago

Fatherland is my first Paweł Pawlikowski film, and I was immediately struck by its muted, restrained style of storytelling. It feels like a quiet meditation on the lingering pain of post-WWII trauma. Two people who want to mourn and move forward, yet remain trapped beneath the weight of their past. Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler are both quietly captivating, delivering performances filled with restraint and emotional depth. Paired with the stunning black and white cinematography, it creates an atmosphere that feels haunting and deeply personal. Might not be my style of filmmaking I enjoy but I do appreciate it.

See more

Bill E

@BillEAZ7448 23 hrs ago

Another classic and worthy of Best Foreign Language Film at this years award show circuit. Sandra Hüller is at the top of her game.

See more

Andy P

@AJPANDY 1 day ago

We thought this was utterly awful. Self indulgent nonsense. Nothing happens. I cared nought for any of the characters. This could have been an interesting exploration of post war Europe, as claimed, but it hardly touches on it. Some minor pluses ... performances were good (although they didn't have to do much). The feel / look of the movie was also atmospheric. The only real plus, and it's one star, is that it was only 70 mins long! Shockingly bad. Avoid!

See more

Bill D

@BD0648 1 day ago

This is a decent film but the sound mix is terrible. The mixers care more about the Foley than they do the dialogue.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Paweł Pawlikowski

Director

Hanns Zischler

Thomas Mann

Sandra Hüller

Erika Mann

August Diehl

Klaus Mann

Anna Madeley

Betty Knox

Devid Striesow

Johannes R. Becher

Fatherland: Exclusive Movie Clip - Party Slap

2:02

Now Playing

View more videos

Fatherland: Trailer 2

1:34

Now Playing

Fatherland: Trailer 1

2:05

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

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
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 23, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 22m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings