Trial of Hein (GFF)
故鄉異客 (GFF)
- Released
- 13 Sep 2026
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Original title
- Der Heimatlose
- Language
- de
The verdict
There are not yet enough audience votes to give this a reliable score. It is not currently playing in Hong Kong cinemas. 122 minutes.
What it is about
After fourteen years away, Hein returns to his remote North Sea island home, only to discover that the close knit community no longer recognises him. Even his childhood friend keeps his distance, and convinced he is an impostor, the villagers convene a court to determine his true identity. As his memories contradict every witness's account, suspicion curdles into open hostility, forcing Hein to confront what he has long refused to see. The debut feature of director Kai Stänicke, whose screenplay draws on his own coming out experience, probes how memory and identity are shaped and distorted.
2026 Teddy Jury Award, Berlinale
What to expect
Hein returns to his North Sea island after fourteen years and finds the village has closed ranks against him. The community stages a makeshift trial to prove he is an impostor, and the movie stays inside that claustrophobic process for most of its two hours. Kai Stänicke’s debut draws on his own coming out, and it shows in the way every memory Hein offers is met with a contradictory account—the tension is less about what is true than about who gets to decide. The Teddy Jury Award at Berlinale 2026 confirms it lands with the audience it is built for. Screens once as part of the German Film Festival on 13 September 2026. In German with English and Traditional Chinese subtitles. 122 min. Check the GFF schedule for venue and ticket price; festival screenings do not repeat.
Cast
-
Paul Boche
Hein -
Stephanie Amarell
Heide -
Philip Froissant
Friedemann -
Emilia Schüle
Greta -
Jeanette Hain
Jorinde -
Zhenja Isaak
Bernhard -
Aaron Hilmer
Volker -
Andreas Nickl
Fiete - Maju Margrit Sartorius Annegret
-
Philip Günsch
- Emil Hauss Hein (Teenager)
- Frederick Lepthien Hein (10 years old)
- Emilia Packard Greta (Teenager)
- Irene Kleinschmidt Mechthild
- Lena Maria Eikenbusch Mechthild 2
Crew
- Director Kai Stänicke
- Writer Kai Stänicke
- Original Music Composer Damian Scholl
- Director of Photography Florian Mag
- Editor Susanne Ocklitz
- Producer Andrea Schütte
- Producer Dirk Decker
- Producer Dario Suter
Common questions
- How long is the movie?
- 122 minutes.
- What language is it in and are there subtitles?
- German dialogue, with English and Traditional Chinese subtitles.
- Is it suitable for children?
- No official rating is listed. The psychological subject matter and slow-burn court scenes are a better fit for older teens and adults.
- Is it showing in IMAX or other premium formats?
- No. It is a single festival screening as part of the German Film Festival, standard format only.