Volker Schlöndorff adapts Jenny Erpenbeck novel Heimsuchung

German director Volker Schlöndorff has released a new film adaptation of Jenny Erpenbeck’s 2007 novel, ‘Heimsuchung’ (Visitation). The film, scheduled for theatrical release on October 15, follows the history of a house and its inhabitants near Lake Scharmützelsee from the 1930s through the 2000s.

Schlöndorff, known for his extensive career adapting significant German literature, wrote the screenplay himself. He describes the house as the central protagonist of the narrative, using interior camera angles to emphasize its role in telling the story. The film explores how global history inevitably intersects with local lives, regardless of how remote a location may seem.

The adaptation is noted for its faithfulness to the source material, streamlining the plot while maintaining the essence of Erpenbeck’s work, which has recently been designated as required reading for German school leaving exams (Abitur) for the 2026-2028 period.