Pawel Pawlikowski's 'Fatherland' premieres at Cannes 2026
At the 79th Cannes Film Festival, Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski presents 'Fatherland', a black-and-white film shot in 4:3 aspect ratio. Set in 1949, it follows Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika (played by Sandra Hüller) on a journey through post-war Germany from Frankfurt to Weimar. The film explores the impossibility of returning home, the moral ambiguities of intellectuals, and the human cost of ideological divisions. Hanns Zischler portrays a subdued Thomas Mann. The film is loosely based on Colm Tóibín's novel 'The Magician', produced by MUBI, and shot in Poland, Germany, and Italy. Pawlikowski previously won an Oscar for 'Ida' (2015) and the Best Director award at Cannes for 'Cold War' (2018).
Key facts
- Film 'Fatherland' directed by Pawel Pawlikowski premiered in competition at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in 2026.
- The film is black-and-white, shot in 4:3 aspect ratio, and set in 1949.
- It depicts Thomas Mann's return to Germany with his daughter Erika, played by Sandra Hüller.
- Hanns Zischler plays Thomas Mann.
- The journey goes from Frankfurt (American zone) to Weimar (Soviet zone).
- The film is loosely based on Colm Tóibín's novel 'The Magician'.
- Produced by MUBI, shot in Poland, Germany, and Italy.
- Pawlikowski's previous works include 'Ida' (Oscar winner) and 'Cold War' (Cannes Best Director).
Entities
Artists
- Pawel Pawlikowski
- Thomas Mann
- Erika Mann
- Sandra Hüller
- Hanns Zischler
- Colm Tóibín
- Paweł Pawlikowski
- August Diehl
- Łukasz Żal
- Klaus Mann
- Wolfgang Wagner
- Wieland Wagner
- Gustav Gründgens
- Richard Wagner
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Rudolf Höss
- Adolf Hitler
- Hans Zischler
- Joachim Meyerhoff
- Joanna Kulig
- Marcin Masecki
- Heinrich Mann
- Gustaf Gründgens
- W.H. Auden
- Albert Einstein
- Henk Handloegten
- Katja Mann
Institutions
- Cannes Film Festival
- MUBI
- BBC
- Bayreuth Festival
- Festival de Cannes
- St. Paul's Church (Frankfurt)
- Die Pfeffermühle
- Weimar
- RFI
- 79th Festival de Cannes
- Oxford University
- Princeton University
- kulturnews.de
Locations
- Cannes
- France
- Frankfurt
- Germany
- Weimar
- Poland
- Italy
- United States
- East Germany
- West Germany
- The Hague
- Côte d'Azur
- Frankfurt am Main
- Warsaw
- Auschwitz
- Switzerland
- California
- Princeton
- Buchenwald
- Berlin