Paweł Pawlikowski Brings “Paterson” to Cannes

The 79th Cannes Film Festival hosted the premiere of “Fatherland,” the latest feature from Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski.

The film has already surged ahead of its competitors in international critical rankings, securing a 3.4 rating on the Screen jury grid. “Fatherland” is a monochrome drama depicting a few pivotal days in the lives of Nobel laureate Thomas Mann and his daughter, Erika. Set in the summer of 1949, at the height of the Cold War, the story follows them as they return to a divided Germany after a long exile.

“I didn’t want to recount events exactly as they unfolded, but rather present my own interpretation. While Mann actually traveled with his wife, her presence didn’t offer the same dramatic potential as his daughter, Erika; that is why we chose her as his companion. It became a family story set against an incredible historical backdrop,”

— Pawlikowski explained during the press conference. Much of the director’s recent work has focused on the past, as seen in his Oscar-winning “Ida” and “Cold War.”

“I struggle to understand our current historical moment or how to make sense of the modern world. That is why I make films about the past,”

— he added. The film features performances by Sandra Hüller, August Diehl, Hans Zischler, and others.

Photo: Getty

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