The Echoes of the Past is a German feature-length drama directed by Mascha Schilinski, who co-wrote the screenplay with Louise Peter. The film was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, and has since been released in French theaters as of January 7, 2026. This marks the German director's debut in France, following her 2017 film Dark Blue Girl, which had yet to be screened in the country.
The film unfolds its story over four decades, tracing the lives of four young girls — Alma, Erika, Angelika, and Lenka — as they experience adolescence at different times within the same remote farm in northern Germany. Though separated by years, their stories seem to echo each other, as if the place itself holds onto the remnants of their journeys.
Over the years, the house changes and evolves, yet it remains a vessel filled with buried memories. Everyday gestures, silences, and pain pass through its walls, giving rise to a diffuse memory where past and present meld seamlessly. The film weaves together a fragmented narrative, where personal stories shape a collective history.
Premiered in official competition at Cannes, Les Échos du passé stood out in the lineup thanks to its immersive sensory approach, its emphasis on long takes, and its focus on the unspoken memories of places. The jury praised the film for its exploration of identity and time, conveyed through a minimalist staging and fragmented storytelling.
Shot in Germany under tight production conditions, the film relies on the steadfast collaboration between Mascha Schilinski and her director of photography Fabian Gamper, who previously worked together on Dark Blue Girl. Their joint effort draws heavily from the photographic world of Francesca Woodman, featuring occasionally blurred, almost ghostly bodies that blend seamlessly into the environment.
With its contemplative pace and intricate formal structure, the film caters to viewers who appreciate art house cinema and sensory storytelling. It can be likened to European films that focus on the memory of places and the layers of time, echoing the work of directors like Christian Petzold or Jessica Hausner.
The Echoes of the Past
Film | 2026
Release in cinemas: January 7, 2026
Drama | Running time: 2h29
Directed by Mascha Schilinski | Starring Hanna Heckt, Lena Urzendowsky, Laeni Geiseler
Original title: In die Sonne schauen
Country: Germany
With The Echoes of the Past, Mascha Schilinski delivers an ambitious exploration of how human traces endure over time, weaving together the stories of women whose lives intersect within a shared space that spans generations. Now ready to be experienced on the big screen.
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