We’re so lucky to have our very own Regal Cinema in Henley, and I was delighted to be invited to the preview of Fatherland by Paweł Pawlikowski. It was lovely to see so many people venturing out on a chilly Monday evening, making the most of the cinema’s Monday night discounts.

I must admit, I usually save my cinema visits for the big classics that benefit from a widescreen and a good sound system, so this arthouse film, in black and white, with its almost-square Academy aspect ratio and subtitles, is something I would normally have waited to watch at home. But, in the words of a lady I spoke to afterwards, “I’m so glad I saw it”!

All those things contribute to Fatherland’s atmospheric authenticity. The film evokes the look and feel of cinema from the post-war era in which the story is set, so for those of you who enjoy arthouse films, this is for you!

One of the first scenes, following a car through a post-war German town, had me thinking I was watching original footage. The locations, scenery, clothing and cars, as well as the performances, are so authentic that I can barely think of the people on screen as actors playing characters; it feels more like watching a documentary unfolding in real time.

Although the storyline is relatively simple, following German novelist Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika on their 1949 journey through post-war Germany, the film explores the struggles of exile, political division and family relationships. Mann hopes that his “poetic gaze” might help bridge the divide between East and West Germany, while he also grapples with his own family drama. As Pawlikowski explains, “history only comes alive when shown through specific characters, relationships and situations”, and you might shed a tear at the very end of this one.

As a lover of old movies, the film’s visual style took me back to the dramatic viewpoints and almost otherworldly quality of classic cinema, particularly A Matter of Life and Death, starring David Niven, and Frank Capra’s Christmas favourite, It’s a Wonderful Life, with James Stewart.

The almost-square framing and striking black-and-white cinematography add to this sense of stepping back in time. There is virtually no background music, making the occasional use of sound all the more striking.

One slightly surreal sequence, featuring a series of statues accompanied by mystical organ music, reminded me of the use of musical leitmotifs in classic cinema, including A Matter of Life and Death. The organ returns to beautiful effect later in the film, creating a haunting connection between the two scenes.

Another interesting musical repetition comes through the different choirs and groups of singers. On arriving in Soviet-occupied East Germany, Mann is greeted by a regimented military welcome, followed by formal performances at events held in his honour, from the angelic voices of a children’s choir at dinner to uniformed soldiers singing a formidable song at an outdoor gathering. These recurring musical motifs feel less like entertainment and more like carefully choreographed displays of national identity and political allegiance – a striking contrast to the jazz and popular songs that Thomas and Erika experience earlier in West Germany.

There is also a road-movie element to the film as we follow Thomas and Erika driving from West to East in a black Buick sedan. Pawlikowski liked the juxtaposition of “Mann driving through a ruined landscape in this posh American limousine”, saying he “loved the great road movies of the 1970s”. He uses the journey and the car to evoke the sense of travelling through time.

I particularly enjoyed reading Pawlikowski’s own thoughts about the film in the beautifully designed fold-out programme handed out at the preview.

I’m so glad I saw Fatherland at the cinema. In today’s world of instant gratification and ever-shortening attention spans, I wonder whether it would be easy to become distracted watching it at home. With multiple languages and subtitles demanding your full attention, the film rewards you for slowing down and immersing yourself in its world. For me, the chance to switch off from everyday life and lose myself in its atmospheric, black-and-white world was one of the greatest pleasures of the cinema experience.

Fatherland is officially released this Friday, 23 October, so keep an eye on the Regal’s listings for the next screening.

And don’t forget the Experience Henley offers at the Regal Picturehouse in Henley. Cardholders can currently get one concession-price ticket per cardholder, per booking, as well as 10% off purchases at the bar. There’s also a monthly prize draw for a pair of cinema tickets for cardholders who use the Experience Henley app!

Words and pictures: Emma Tallent

For all local cinema listings visit Regal Picturehouse | Henley Cinema | Picturehouse