FATHERLAND

Directed by Paweł Pawlikowski

FATHERLAND centres on the relationship between the Nobel Prize-winning writer Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika, 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 of exile in the US, Thomas Mann has to face not only a divided fatherland, but also deep fracture within his own family.
The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 79th Cannes Film Festival on 14 May 2026, where Pawlikowski won the Award for Best Director.
The film received widespread critical acclaim, with special praise for its direction, cinematography, and acting.