Homecoming at filmforum Duisburg: A Century of German History on Screen
Date and Time
Location
Price
About this Event
Mood
Venue Type
A House, a Century, Countless Destinies
A sentence lingers in the air: "It shall be our home forever." In Homecoming – A Century Story, a house by a Markish lake becomes the silent focal point of German history. On October 30, 2026, the audience at filmforum Duisburg will experience Volker Schlöndorff's powerful adaptation of Jenny Erpenbeck's award-winning novel.
History as a Moving Chamber Play
The production follows the changing residents of a house, whose life paths are intertwined with the political upheavals of the 20th century. The Weimar Republic, National Socialism, war and post-war period, GDR and reunification leave their marks in the spaces – and in the people who search for home, security, and belonging there.
Volker Schlöndorff's Precise Imagery
Director Volker Schlöndorff condenses the century's history into an atmospheric drama about origins, loss, and memory. The stage and film experience thrives on carefully composed scenic designs, changing color palettes through time, and concentrated acoustics that imbue even quiet gestures with great impact. The camera turns the house into a memory space where each generation leaves behind its own truth.
A Strong Ensemble in the Cinematic Memory Space
Lars Eidinger, Martina Gedeck, Susanne Wolff, Ulrich Matthes, and other renowned actors give personal contours to the historical life lines. Their acting craft carries the dramatic construction across decades: From individual decisions arise significant social tensions, from private spaces emerges a panorama of German history.
Literary Basis and Historical Depth
Jenny Erpenbeck's novel forms the basis for an adaptation that regards home not as a fixed place but as a fragile experience. Displacement, origin, repression, and new beginnings appear not as abstract terms but as concrete destinies. Schlöndorff's direction combines literary condensation with a clear, strong cinematic language, thereby opening up a multifaceted view of the past century.
Conclusion: A Stage Experience in the Cinema Hall
On this evening, the filmforum transforms into a cinema palace for a grand memory drama. Visitors can expect a two-hour, intense film experience about the search for a home and the traces that history leaves in people. Those who wish to experience German history as a vivid, sensual, and emotionally moving narrative will find in Homecoming – A Century Story an impressive evening.
Official Channels of filmforum Duisburg:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- YouTube: no official profile found
- Website: https://filmforum.de/
