Berlinale Award Winner ‘Trial of Hein’ Sells to North America, France and More (EXCLUSIVE)

North American rights for Kai Stänicke’s debut feature, which screened in the Berlinale’s Perspectives section, have been acquired by Strand Releasing ahead of the film’s North American premiere at New Directors/New Films in New York.

In addition, Paradis Films will handle distribution in France, and DCM will distribute the film in all German-speaking territories. The film has also been sold to Lev Cinemas in Israel.

The film follows Hein, who returns to his remote island home after 14 years, only to find himself unrecognized by the local community, which demands a trial to determine whether he truly is who he claims to be – setting in motion a quietly unsettling exploration of identity, belonging and perception.

Jon Gerrans, co-president of Strand Releasing, said “Trial of Hein” is “such a carefully structured film with style reminiscent of dogma and influences of classic cinema.” He added that having New Directors/New Films for the North American premiere was “the perfect platform for audiences here.”

Marguerite Gigom, acquisitions executive at Paradis Films, added: “ ‘Trial of Hein’ was an immediate standout for us when we discovered it in Berlin, a true favorite. The film impressed us with the strength of its vision and the confidence of its filmmaking, marking the arrival of a new voice.”

“Trial of Hein” is produced by Andrea Schütte, Dirk Decker and Dario Suter, with Katrin Jochimsen, Felix von Boehm and Kai Stänicke serving as co-producers.

The film is a Tamtam Film production, co-produced with Dario Suter, Lupa Film and ZDF – Das kleine Fernsehspiel, and supported by MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, Nordmedia – Film and Media Company of Lower Saxony/Bremen, Hessen Film & Medien, the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) and German Films.