< Back to main Festival page

A woman stands with her arms out and her mouth open as if to sing.

Toni Erdmann (2016)

  Maren Ade

  Germany, Austria     162 minutes

Synopsis

Winfried doesn’t see much of his working daughter Ines. The suddenly student-less music teacher decides to surprise her with a visit after the death of his old dog. It’s an awkward move, because serious career woman Ines is working on an important project as a corporate strategist in Bucharest. The geographical change doesn’t help the two to see more eye to eye. Practical joker Winfried loves to annoy his daughter with corny pranks. What’s worse are his little jabs at her routine lifestyle of long meetings, hotel bars and performance reports. Father and daughter reach an impasse, and Winfried agrees to return home to Germany. Enter flashy “Toni Erdmann” – Winfried’s smooth-talking alter ego. Disguised in a tacky suit, weird wig and even weirder fake teeth, Toni barges into Ines’ professional life, claiming to be her CEO’s life coach. As Toni, Winfried is bolder and doesn’t hold back, but Ines meets the challenge. The harder they push, the closer they become. In all the madness, Ines begins to understand that her eccentric father might deserve some place in her life after all.

 German with subtitles

In Focus: Germany on Screen

the flag of GermanyThis film is part of the 60th Chicago International Film Festival’s In Focus: Germany on Screen collection highlighting the work of Germany’s most gifted auteur filmmakers.

Learn more about this collection

Screenings & Events

Media

Film Credits

  •   Janine Jackowski, Jonas Dornbach, Maren Ade, Michel Merkt
  •   Maren Ade
  •   Heike Parplies
  •   Patrick Orth
  •   Peter Simonischek, Sandra Hüller, Michael Wittenborn, Thomas Loibl, Trystan Pütter
  •   Komplizen Film, KNM

Sponsors

Comedy Program Partner

With Support From

Logo: German Film Office 141x125Logo: German Films - 315x100Logo: Goethe Institut 62x100