Heimsuchung – Eine Jahrhundertgeschichte

In Volker Schlöndorff’s “Heimsuchung – Eine Jahrhundertgeschichte” (cinema release: October 15, 2026), a house on a lake in the Mark Brandenburg region serves as a mirror reflecting an entire century of German history. From the Weimar Republic through the Third Reich, the war, the GDR, and reunification, the film follows the fates of its residents as they search for a sense of home and belonging.  

For “Heimsuchung,” Anne-Gret Oehme has created a costume design that effectively underscores the atmosphere and the historical changes over time, making the respective eras and living conditions visible.

In an interview with Theaterkunst, Anne-Gret Oehme says: “The house by the lake forms the center of the story. Inevitably, people go swimming in every era. It took many hours of research to find out when which swimwear was worn by whom—and then to actually track it down. Beautiful old swim caps had lost their plasticizers and fell apart before they made it into the film. […] I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to use some of your particularly beautiful swimsuit treasures, since women were smaller back then. But I was lucky, and for me, it’s one of the most beautiful scenes in the film when Susanne swims and swims and swims…”

Starring, among others, Susanne Wolff, Martina Gedeck, Lars Eidinger, Michael Maertens, Detlev Buck, Ulrich Matthes, Wigand Witting, David Bennent, Angela Winkler; Production: Ziegler Film GmbH & Co. KG; Director: Volker Schlöndorff; Based on the novel by Jenny Erpenbeck;  Costume Design: Anne-Gret Oehme

Copyright: Studiocanal/Ziegler Film

House of Yang

From today, the German mystery series “House of Yang” is available to watch on the ARD Mediathek. In the series, a house in a remote part of the Black Forest is haunted by ghosts from the past. Two girls disappeared without trace from this house, both in 1949 and in 1999.

Costume designers Juliane Maier and Judith Stryczek have created a visual world for the series that emphasises the atmosphere, suspense and unique mood of the story. Costumes by Theaterkunst are also an important part of the overall narrative concept.

Starring, amongst others, Elisa Hofmann, Purnima Grätz, Linda Chang and Emma Bading; Production: Wood Water Films; Director: Mia Spengler; Costume design: Juliane Maier, Judith Stryczek

Copyright: Constantin Film

Frau Winkler verlässt das Haus

On 1 October 2026, “Frau Winkler verlässt das Haus” starts at German movie theaters. 2030: Mrs Winkler (Angela Winkler), a former actress, suddenly finds herself in need of intensive care following an accident. A care robot is supposed to look after her. Mrs Winkler feels humiliated and vehemently resists the robotic care. But then an unexpected friendship develops between the 80-year-old and the extremely ‘well-read’ robot.

Costume designer Sabine Keller has hired a wide variety of costumes from very different eras from us for this extraordinary production. This includes a cardigan from the 1970s for the film, which is set in 2030.

Director Doris Dörrie says in the film’s press kit: “I spent a long time thinking about “FRAU WINKLER” together with the wonderful Sabine Keller, who designed the costumes. In the process, we observed that, in the face of so many technical innovations, a longing for nostalgia arises – the desire to surround oneself with retro objects or to dress as if one were living in a different era.”

Starring, amongst others, Angela Winkler, Laura Tonke, Josef Ellers, Klara Lange, Yvonne Yung Hee Bormann and Zoë Baier; Production: Zeitsprung Pictures GmbH; Director: Doris Dörrie; Costume design: Sabine Keller

Copyright: Wild Bunch Germany

4 Blocks Zero

The eight-part series ‘4 Blocks Zero’, the prequel to the gangster drama ‘4 Blocks’, is currently available on HBO Max. Berlin in the 1990s: having fled Lebanon, the Hamadys struggle to settle in Germany. Father Malik scrapes by as an unskilled cook, whilst he and his four children struggle with prejudice and the challenges of life without secure residency status. When his brother-in-law Ibrahim arrives in the city after eight years in prison, he sets off a dangerous chain reaction that entangles the family in the criminal machinations of Berlin’s underworld.

Kostümbildnerin Nici Zinell hat vom Abendkleid, über den 90er Jahre Blouson bis zu Badehosen, Schuhen und Gürtel viele Kostüme in unserem Fundus zusammengestellt.

Starring, amongst others, Tariq Al-Saies, Tareq Nassery, Rami Fadel Khalaf, Soufiane El Mesaudi and Luis Vorbach; Production: W&B Television GmbH; Directed by: Hüseyin Tabak and Özgür Yildirim; Costume design: Nici Zinell

Copyright: HBO Max

Emil & the Detectives

PAROLE EMIL: The remake of Erich Kästner’s classic “Emil & the Detectives” hits cinemas today. Emil is due to spend his summer holidays with his grandmother in Berlin. But whilst on the train there, he is robbed by the unscrupulous con artist Max Grundeis – and a wild adventure begins! Together with a gang of clever children, Emil sets off in pursuit and throws himself into a fast-paced detective chase across Berlin – full of wit, courage and true friendship.

Costume designer Saskia Richter has found a selection of costumes at Theaterkunst.

Starring, amongst others, Nicholas Jonah Peter, Lara Toni, Kilian Kasa, Bela Plass, Ai Vy Bui, Camille Moltzen, Luise Heyer, Merlin Sandmeyer and Ursula Werner; Production: UFA Fiction, UFA Mitte; Director: David Dietl; Costume design: Saskia Richter

Copyright: Warner Bros. Pictures Germany

Bibi Blocksberg – The Bewitched Time Travel

On 24 September 2026, it’s time to say ‘hex hex’ once again, as ‘Bibi Blocksberg – The Bewitched Time Travel’ hits cinemas. In this new cinematic adventure featuring the little witch from Neustadt, Bibi (NALA) ends up working as a museum attendant at Klunkerburg Castle during her school work experience – of all places. At first, everything goes smoothly, until a valuable exhibit vanishes without a trace. Whilst trying to solve the mystery, Bibi and her friend Marita (Fia-Marie Lin) accidentally cast a spell that sends them back in time, where they face a whole new set of challenges…

Costume designer Svenja Gassen has, amongst other things, hired Biedermeier liveries for the servants and various costume pieces from us.

Starring, amongst others, Nala, Fia-Marie Lin, Carla Demmin, Philomena Amari, Rosalie Thomass, Friedrich Mücke, Palina Rojinski, Fritzi Haberlandt, Nilam Farooq and Thorsten Merten; Production: Wiedemann & Berg Film GmbH; Director: Gregor Schnitzler; Costume design: Svenja Gassen

Copyright: LEONINE Studios

Babylon Berlin – Season 5

The final season of the hit ARD series “Babylon Berlin” is now available on the ARD media center. Season 5 begins in January 1933, as the darkest chapter in German history unfolds. Charlotte Ritter (Liv Lisa Fries) investigates a series of murders targeting former frontline soldiers. When Gereon Rath (Volker Bruch) suddenly vanishes without a trace, Charlotte doesn’t know if she’ll ever see him again.

5 seasons, 48 episodes, 533 days of filming, over 400 actors and actresses, 17,000 extras, produced by 2,046 crew members at over 500 filming locations. A series of superlatives even when it comes to the costumes.

Costume designer Pierre-Yves Gayraud says: “Season after season, through the twists and turns of the Weimar Republic, with a fantastic, talented, and loyal costume team by my side, we designed so many different costumes for this impressive array of characters, including the countless extras, that I will remember it as an endless waltz. These ten years were a fantastic playground, inspired by the 1920s and 1930s. Deeply steeped in historical allusions, we also welcomed small details from the 1980s and 1990s as a lifeline to achieve a certain timelessness.”

Starring, among others, Volker Bruch, Liv Lisa Fries, Lars Eidinger, Christian Friedel, Fritzi Haberlandt, Martin Wuttke, Karl Markovics, and Jördis Triebel; Production: X Filme Creative Pool GmbH; Directors: Henk Handloegten, Achim von Borries, and Tom Tykwer; Costume Design: Pierre-Yves Gayraud

Copyright: X Filme, ARD Degeto

Fatherland

Cinema release of “Fatherland”, which won the ‘Palme d’Or’ for Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival. Following the end of the Second World War, Nobel Prize-winning author Thomas Mann (Hanns Zischler) and his daughter, the actress, author and cabaret artist Erika (Sandra Hüller), set off in 1949 on a journey through a Germany in ruins – from Frankfurt in the American occupation zone to Soviet-controlled Weimar. It is the first time since the war that Thomas Mann has returned to his homeland, from which he had once fled into exile. A journey into the wounded German soul, which is meant to heal.

The Polish costume designer Aleksandra Staszko has once again collaborated with our costume department on this production. Aleksandra Staszko on the choice of costumes: “In ‘Fatherland’, the costumes are deliberately understated so as not to distract the audience, allowing them to focus entirely on the protagonists and their emotional development. Filming in black and white had a significant influence on my choice of costumes. Without colour, one relies heavily on contrasts to establish a visual hierarchy. The texture of the fabrics takes on greater importance and, within a monochrome colour palette, provides richness, depth and character.”

Starring, amongst others, Sandra Hüller, Hanns Zischler, August Diehl, Devid Striesow, Joachim Meyerhoff and Milan Peschel; Production: Nine Hours GmbH; Director: Paweł Pawlikowski; Costume design: Aleksandra Staszko

Copyright: Neue Visionen Filmverleih

Wer weiß schon, was ein Leben ist?

On 3 September 2026, the cinema documentary ‘Wer weiß schon, was ein Leben ist?’ will be released to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of the painter Paula Modersohn-Becker. In it, a young actress (Katharina Stark) sets out to discover the story of an extraordinary woman. Travelling between Worpswede and Paris, she explores Paula Modersohn-Becker’s life, work and philosophy. The deeper she delves into Modersohn-Becker’s world, the more her quest becomes an encounter with herself. The result is a poetic film about artistic freedom, female self-determination and the timeless question: Who really knows what life is?

The costume design team, Mara Laibacher and Leon Luca Körösi, borrowed a large number of costumes from our historical department for the production in order to portray the period around 1890 in a historically accurate manner.

Starring, amongst others, Katharina Stark, Dominique Devenport, Enno Trebs, Merlin Rose and Florian Lukas; Production: Kinescope Film GmbH; Directed by: Annelie Boros and Vera Brückner; Costume design: Mara Laibacher and Leon Luca Körösi

Copyright: W-Film