Fatherland actress Sandra Huller said she “feels the guilt every day” when playing a German in a film set soon after the Second World War.
Speaking at the press conference for Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cannes Competition film, Huller was asked if she feels differently playing a German in a film set around that period, compared to a contemporary title.
The actress paused, at which point the journalist followed up to ask if she “feels the guilt”.
“I feel the guilt,” said Huller. “I understand that question much better than the one you asked before. Yes, I feel the guilt every day, and I also never get bored of it, to feel the guilt, because it’s necessary to act right.”
Set in 1949, Fatherland explores the post-Second World War life of German writer Thomas Mann, who embarks on a road trip from Frankfurt in West Germany to Weimar in East Germany, with his daughter Erika. Hanns ZIschler plays Mann, with Huller as Erika Mann and August Diehl as Thomas’s son Klaus Mann.
The question of differences between the 1930s-40s period and today came up on several occasions in the press conference. “I don’t think it’s a good question,” said Pawlikowski when asked what year from that period he believes the world is most comparable to now. “Nothing is ever like anything else. It’s very specific. With new technologies, this digital universe, and this brave new world we’ve entered.
“Brave new world and barbarism at the same time – it’s a really unholy mixture. It’s an unprecedented situation. I’m lost today, I have no idea which period we’re in. That’s why I make films set in the past, I can get a handle on that.”
“It’s interesting that there are more and more films set in historical times,” said the director, when asked about the occurrence of historical titles at this year’s festival. “It’s easier to talk about now with a distance.
“A lot of historical films I watch have a clear thesis, they organise history according to the narrative that whoever is making the film is trying to sell us. Very often the characters in these films illustrate something or explain something.
“I try to do the opposite. I try to show how complicated it all is – which I think is a very healthy thing to tell people today. If you absolutely know your narrative is right, that’s dangerous.”
Quick
Fatherland is the first project in the co-production, finance and distribution agreement between Mubi and Italy’s Our Films. It shot in autumn-winter 2025 in Poland and Germany.
Pawlikowski said the project came together after a previous work The Island, which was to star Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara, fell apart.
“I had a new project which I was developing for three years, which collapsed two weeks before filming started, called The Island, because of the actors strike in the States,” said the director.
Fatherland was then “the quickest thing that I ever developed,” said Pawlikowski.
Away from the film, Huller batted away a question about Amazon MGM Studios’ blockbuster hit Project Hail Mary, and whether she might sign up to a sequel. “This is the press conference for our film,” replied the actress.
“For light relief, just say something,” joked Pawlikowski.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,” said Huller. “I have fun with a lot of different things, and I feel very lucky that I can explore all these different ways of working. That’s all.”
Fatherland had its world premiere last night in Cannes, and has taken an early lead on Screen’s Cannes jury grid. It is the seventh feature film for UK-based Polish director Pawlikowski, who began his career in Directors’ Fortnight in 1998 with The Stringer. He won the best director prize in Cannes in 2018 with Cold War.
The Competition continues this afternoon with Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All Of A Sudden and Marie Kreutzer’s Gentle Monster.
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