KAI STÄNICKE
DIRECTOR
After earning his film degree, Kai Stänicke completed a production management traineeship at X Filme Creative Pool in Berlin and subsequently worked as an assistant director before beginning to direct his own short films.
His work has been recognized through awards, talent programs, and showcases, including the Saatchi & Saatchi New German Directors Showcase (2012), Berlinale Talents (2016), and the Nespresso Talents Award (2018).
His feature debut, “Trial of Hein,” was selected for the Berlinale Talents Script Station in 2022 and received the Wolfgang Kohlhaase Scholarship in 2023. The film opened the Perspectives section of the Berlinale 2026, where it received the Teddy Jury Award. It has since been invited to numerous international festivals, including New Directors/New Films in New York and the Seattle International Film Festival, and secured distribution in several territories, including France and North America. DCM released the film theatrically in Germany in August 2026 under its German title, “Der Heimatlose.”
Kai Stänicke is represented by Carole Sonderegger.
TRIAL OF HEIN
COMING UP
Kai Stänicke’s new project is not yet public. Come back soon to learn more.
VARIA
Kai Stänicke’s VARIA contribution is in the works. Come back soon to learn more.