Goa, 14 November 2026
Some journeys cross landscapes, while others travel through the complexities of memory, identity and belonging. Bringing together history and deeply personal relationships, Fatherland (Ojczyzna), directed by acclaimed Polish filmmaker Paweł Pawlikowski, has been selected as the Opening Film of the 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), setting the tone for nine days of cinematic celebration in Goa.
Set in the summer of 1949, at the height of the Cold War, Fatherland explores the relationship between Nobel Prize-winning German writer Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika, an actress, writer and rally driver. Returning to Germany after sixteen years of exile in the United States, Thomas Mann embarks on a challenging road trip with his daughter in a black Buick. Their journey takes them across a country devastated by war, from US-dominated Frankfurt to Weimar under Soviet control.
As father and daughter travel through a divided Germany, they encounter more than the visible scars of a nation torn apart by conflict. Their journey also brings them face to face with the deep divisions within their own family. Through this emotionally layered narrative, the film explores the intersections of personal relationships, history and the idea of home.
Featuring Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler in leading roles, the 82-minute drama is a collaborative production involving Poland, Germany, Italy and France. Presented in black and white, the film will have its India Premiere at the 57th IFFI.
Fatherland continues director Pawel Pawlikowski’s exploration of history and human relationships through an intimate narrative set against a significant moment in European history. The film has already travelled to major international festivals, including Cannes, San Sebastián and Telluride in 2026, earning Pawlikowski the Best Director Award at Cannes.
With Fatherland, the 57th IFFI begins its journey through stories that transcend geographical and cultural boundaries. As cinema brings together different worlds and perspectives, the opening film offers a fitting beginning to this year’s theme, ‘Stories Without Borders’.
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PIB IFFI Team | Rajith Chandran/ Lekshmi Priya S S/ Nikhitha A S/ Darshana Rane