When does the performance take place?

Visitations - A Century Story will be shown on Friday, October 23, 2026, at 18:00 at filmforum Duisburg.

How long is the film?

The runtime is approximately 120 minutes.

Where does the event take place?

The screening will take place at filmforum, Dellplatz 16 in 47051 Duisburg.

How much does a ticket cost?

The regular admission price is €9.90. Reduced prices may apply based on filmforum's conditions.

What is the age rating of the film?

The film is rated from 12 years by the FSK.

What is the story of Visitations - A Century Story?

The film tells the stories of changing residents of a house by a Markish lake against the backdrop of the political and societal upheavals in German history during the 20th century.

A House, a Century, Countless Destinies: Experience Visitations at filmforum Duisburg

Name: Visitations - A Century Story
Start: 2026-10-23T18:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-23T20:00:00+02:00
Location: filmforum

Visitations - A Century Story: A House as a Witness to German History

A sentence hangs in the air: "It shall always be our home." In Volker Schlöndorff's film adaptation Visitations - A Century Story, a house by a Markish lake becomes the silent center of a century. On October 23, 2026, the filmforum Duisburg will screen this gripping drama based on the novel of the same name by Jenny Erpenbeck.

A Place, Many Lives

Over decades, the residents of the house change, while outside, German history leaves its fractures. Weimar Republic, National Socialism, war, post-war period, GDR, and reunification form the historical layers of a narrative where personal fates and societal upheavals are inextricably linked.

The Dramaturgy of Remembrance

The production examines history not from the perspective of great decision-makers, but from within a place. The house becomes a narrative constant, its rooms resonate with home, loss, displacement, and new beginnings. As in a multi-layered stage work, perspectives shift while time itself becomes the invisible main character.

Volker Schlöndorff and a Strong Ensemble

Director and screenwriter Volker Schlöndorff translates Jenny Erpenbeck's precise, literary observation into a visually powerful cinematic narrative. Martina Gedeck, Lars Eidinger, Susanne Wolff, Ulrich Matthes, and Michael Maertens embody people whose life paths are shaped by the political upheavals of the 20th century. The art of acting connects intimate family history with a historical panorama.

Atmosphere Between Lake, House, and Time

The visual language relies on a concentrated theater atmosphere: rooms, objects, and landscapes preserve traces of past generations. Costumes, sets, and music mark the changing epochs, while the acoustics and calm narrative style direct the gaze to the inner upheavals of the characters. Thus, a stage experience in a figurative sense is created – a cinematic setting that reveals its secrets layer by layer.

Literary Adaptation with Historical Weight

Jenny Erpenbeck's novel Visitations is considered a central literary engagement with German memory culture and the question of who a place belongs to. Schlöndorff's adaptation condenses these themes into a drama about identity, property, and the fragility of human life plans. The international premiere of the film took place in 2026 as part of the official program of the Cannes Film Festival.

Conclusion: History Becomes Personal That Evening

The audience at the filmforum does not expect a conventional historical drama, but a concentrated journey through a century of German experience. Visitations - A Century Story combines literature, acting, and cinematic staging into a resonant stage experience in the cinema hall. Those who want to understand how history lives on in houses, families, and memories should experience this film best together on the big screen.