Visitation

A villa in Brandenburg becomes a mirror of Germany’s history: Volker Schlöndorff’s Visitation (original title: Heimsuchung), based on Jenny Erpenbeck’s novel, tells a story of memory, loss and belonging across several generations. This sweeping ensemble drama had its world premiere in Cannes and opens Tyske Filmdager 2026.

A house by a lake near Berlin is a quiet witness to a historically turbulent century in Germany: the rise of National Socialism, the devastation of war, more than 40 years of the GDR, reunification and the beginning of a new era. Each regime and its people leave their mark: a Jewish family, an opportunistic architect and his wife, an idealistic writer couple and their grandchildren. Their personal stories are closely tied to questions of belonging, loss and new beginnings. It is not only the country that is constantly changing, but also the understanding of what Heimat – home and homeland – means.

Volker Schlöndorff (born 1939 in Wiesbaden) has shaped German cinema since the 1960s and was one of the key figures in «den nye tyske filmen». Many of his films are based on literary works, including Die Blechtrommel (Blikktrommen), which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1980. Visitation is based on Jenny Erpenbeck’s 2007 novel Heimsuchung, published in Norwegian in 2020 under the title Hjemsøkelse. Erpenbeck is one of the most prominent writers of our time. With its many interwoven stories and characters, the film is carried by a strong ensemble. The standout performers in the leading roles include Lars Eidinger (Sterben (2024), The Last Execution (TFD 2022), You Believe in Angels, Mr. Drowak (TFD 2026)), Martina Gedeck (Das Leben der Anderen (2006), Allegro Pastell (2026)) and Susanne Wolff (Sisi & I (TFD 2023), Köln 75, Donkey Days (TFD 2026)).