‘Trial of Hein’ Exclusive Film Trailer: Berlin-Winning Feature Debut

German writer-director Kai Stänicke (short films Gay Goth Scene, Circle, and Pace) attracted much attention and rave reviews after world premiering his feature film debut Trial of Hein (Der Heimatlose) in the Perspectives section of the 76th edition of the Berlin Film Festival.

The movie, which won the Teddy Award jury honor and was widely seen as an example of how the Perspectives can succeed in its mission of showcasing up-and-coming voices, tells the story of a return that raises all sorts of questions.

After 14 years on the mainland, Hein returns to the place he is from, the only village on a remote island in the North Sea. However, the close-knit community no longer recognizes him. Even his closest childhood friend, Friedemann, distances himself from the visitor. Eventually, the island community convenes a village court to determine whether Hein is who he claims to be or an impostor.

The court hearings bring to light how different Hein’s recollections of his youth are from the memories of various witnesses. As such, Trial of Hein is a parable on memory, identity and the tension between the sense of belonging and the sense of restrictions that living in a community brings with it.

Paul Boche stars as Hein, with the ensemble cast also including Philip Günsch, Philip Froissant, Emilia Schüle, Jeanette Hain, Sebastian Blomberg, and Stephanie Amarell. Written and directed by Stänicke, Trial of Hein was produced by Tamtam Film, and co-produced by Lupa Film. The cinematographer is Florian Mag, the editor Susanne Ocklitz. Heretic is handling world sales.

THR can now exclusively reveal the official trailer for Trial of Hein. Get ready for the sights and sounds of the sea, the enigmatic atmosphere, as well as questions, accusations, and despair. Oh yeah, and things get really fishy.

So check out the trailer to dive into the world of Trial of Hein.