Leonie Krippendorff's 'Children of the Sun' Premieres at Filmfest Hamburg

Leonie Krippendorff's film, Children of the Sun, debuted at Filmfest Hamburg in 2026, marking her long-awaited return after extensive preparation. The cast includes Jella Haase and Lena Urzendowsky, the latter of whom received the Best Supporting Actress award at the German Film Awards for her role in Sound of Falling (2025). New talents Joshua Hupfauer and Andronikos Korakas also star. Set against the backdrop of Greece, the narrative explores two couples as they attempt to create a utopian community, only to face existential threats from wildfires. Drawing inspiration from Krippendorff's mother’s home lost to fire, the film's characters represent the elements of fire, earth, water, and air. Its fall release tackles themes of queer love amidst rising conservatism and the severe wildfires in Europe, including 36 recorded in Greece on September 3, as reported by ADAC.