Trial of Hein

9/27/2026

Most of us would likely agree that we seek acceptance by society. But what does it take for that to happen? That’s the principal question posed in this debut feature from writer-director Kai Stänicke. This ambitious cinematic fable combines elements of Greek tragedy, themes similar to those explored in the works of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, a narrative that echoes such classics as novelist Janet Lewis’s *The Return of Martin Guerre* (1941) and Homer’s *The Odyssey*, and a filming style reminiscent of Icelandic director Hylnur Pálmason, quite an audacious undertaking. When Hein (Paul Boche) returns to the remote German fishing village where he grew up after a 14-year absence, he doesn’t get the reception he expected: no one recognizes him, including his sister, Heide (Stephanie Ama