Scanorama
lt en
My Festival Tickets
Trial of Hein

Trial of Hein

Der Heimatlose Kai Stänicke

2 hr. 2 min. · Germany, 2026 · Drama · German · Subtitles: Lithuanian, English · Pegi 13

About the film

After fourteen years on the mainland, Hein returns to the fishing village where he grew up, on a remote island. The isolated community greets him coldly, and even his closest relatives suspect him of being an impostor. When a trial is convened to establish his identity, it emerges that Hein’s memories differ even from those of his childhood friend. The villagers’ suspicion hardens into open hostility, and Hein resorts to drastic measures to prove his version of the truth. Drawing on the premise of the classic The Return of Martin Guerre, the film makes inventive use of Brechtian theatrical devices. The village homes are represented by little more than a few façade walls, sharpening the film’s allegory of community as performance and of the power relations enacted within it. Trial of Hein won the Teddy Jury Award in the Perspectives section at Berlinale.
Share on Facebook

Details

Running time
2 hr. 2 min.
Country, year
Germany, 2026
Genre
Drama
Language
German
Subtitles
Lithuanian, English
Age rating
Pegi 13

Credits

Filmmakers
Kai Stänicke
Screenplay
Kai Stänicke
Producers
Andrea Schütte, Dirk Decker, Dario Suter
Cinematography
Florian Mag
Music
Damian Scholl
Cast
Paul Boche, Philip Froissant, Emilia Schüle, Stephanie Amarell, Aaron Hilmer
More information
www.imdb.com

Festivals and awards

  • Berlinale Best Debut Film Award · Teddy Jury Award
  • Berlin International Film Festival Jury Award · 2026
  • Provincetown International Film Festival Audience Award · John Schlesinger Narrative Award · 2026
  • Frameline: San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival Out in the Silence Award · 2026
Kai Stänicke

Kai Stänicke

Kai Stänicke studied film and television production in Dortmund, where he directed his first short films. After graduating, he worked on various productions as an assistant director and assistant unit manager. His short films have screened at festivals around the world. His feature debut, Trial of Hein, was selected for the Berlinale’s Perspectives section and for New Directors/New Films, a leading showcase for emerging filmmakers, among other festivals. Critics have hailed it as one of the year’s standout debuts. Stänicke will attend Scanorama and meet audiences.

Screenings

3 screenings in 2 cities.

  1. Saturday, November 14 17:40 Forum Cinemas Vingis · Hall 10 Tickets
  2. Sunday, November 15 18:00 Forum Cinemas Vingis · Hall 9 Tickets