Home Stories

Home Stories
Directed byEva Trobisch
Written byEva Trobisch
Produced by
  • Trini Götze
  • ⁠David Armati Lechner
Starring
CinematographyAdrian Campean
Edited byLaura Lauzemis
Music byTeho Teardo
Production
company
The Bureau
Release date
Running time
116 minutes
Country
  • Germany
LanguageGerman

Home Stories (German: Etwas ganz Besonderes, lit.'Something very special') is a 2026 German coming-of-age family drama film written and directed by Eva Trobisch. Starring Frida Hornemann, Max Riemelt, Eva Löbau, Peter René Lüdicke, Rahel Ohm, Gina Henkel and Florian Lukas, the film follows a teenage girl whose search for identity unfolds against the backdrop of her family's struggling hotel business in the forests of former East Germany after she is unable to answer a simple question during a reality TV audition: "Who are you and what defines you?"[1]

The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on 18 February 2026, where it was nominated for the Golden Bear.[2]

Premise

A teenage girl's failed attempt to define herself at a TV audition sparks a journey through her fractured family and struggling hometown, forcing her to confront where she comes from in order to understand who she wants to be.

Cast

  • Frida Hornemann as Lea
  • Max Riemelt as Matze
  • Eva Löbau as Kati
  • Gina Henkel as Rieke
  • Rahel Ohm as Christel
  • Peter René Lüdecke as Friedrich
  • Florian Geißelmann as Edgar
  • Yvon Sable Moltzen as Henri
  • Ida Fischer as Bonny
  • Florian Lukas as Arthur
  • Thomas Schubert as Raphael
  • Kara Schröder as Caroline
  • Anne Kulbatzki as Ina
  • Nairi Hadodo as Fee

Production

Home Stories is directed and written by Eva Trobisch and produced by Trimafilm. The film is a co-production with Komplizen Film, if...Productions, and ZDF/ARTE, in collaboration with The Post Republic. International sales are handled by The Match Factory, which is launching the title to buyers ahead of its Berlinale premiere.[3][4]

Release

The film had its world premiere in competition at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on 18 February 2026.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Home Stories (Etwas ganz Besonderes)". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  2. ^ "Etwas ganz Besonderes | Home Stories | Berlinale". www.berlinale.de. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  3. ^ Barraclough, Leo (2026-01-20). "The Match Factory Launches Sales on Berlinale Competition Films 'Queen at Sea' and 'Home Stories'". Variety. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  4. ^ "Berlin Competition films 'Queen At Sea', 'Home Stories' boarded for sales". Screen. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  5. ^ "The Berlinale unveils the films set to lock horns in its Competition and Perspectives sections". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema. 2026-01-20. Retrieved 2026-01-31.