Poland Submits Pawlikowski's 'Fatherland' for International
Poland has selected Paweł Pawlikowski's Cannes drama 'Fatherland' as its official submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Poland's national selection committee has chosen Fatherland, directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, as its official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards. The film, which premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, earned Pawlikowski the Best Director award there ex aequo.
Fatherland will be released in the United States by the distributor Mubi. The film reunites the director with key collaborators from his previous acclaimed works, including Oscar-nominated cinematographer Łukasz Żal.
The Film's Story and Cast
The historical drama centers on the complex relationship between Nobel Prize-winning author Thomas Mann, played by Hanns Zischler, and his daughter Erika, portrayed by Oscar-nominated actress Sandra Hüller. Set in the summer of 1949, the story follows the pair on an emotional road trip across a divided, post-war Germany in a black Buick.
According to Deadline's description, the journey forces Thomas Mann to confront a fractured homeland and deep divisions within his own family after sixteen years of exile in the United States. The supporting cast includes August Diehl, Devid Striesow, and Anna Madeley.
Pawlikowski's Awards History
Director Paweł Pawlikowski has a strong track record with both the Oscars and international festivals. His previous film, Ida, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2015. His follow-up, Cold War, earned three Oscar nominations, including Best Director and Best Foreign Language Film, and won him the Best Director prize at Cannes in 2018.
The source notes the following award tallies for his prior works:
| Film | Key Awards and Nominations |
|---|---|
| Ida | Won 70 international awards, including 5 European Film Awards and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. |
| Cold War | Won 52 awards from 126 nominations; received Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. |
Production and Festival Journey
Fatherland is a co-production between companies in Poland, Germany, France, and Italy, including Mubi, Our Films, and Extreme Emotions. The producers include Mario Gianani, Lorenzo Mieli, and Ewa Puszczyńska.
The film was co-written by Pawlikowski and Henk Handloegten. Its creative team also includes costume designer Aleksandra Staszko and production designers Katarzyna Sobańska and Marcel Sławiński. The selection by Poland's committee marks the official start of its campaign for the International Feature Oscar.
