Phantoms of July
| Phantoms of July | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| German | Sehnsucht in Sangerhausen |
| Literally | Longing in Sangerhausen |
| Directed by | Julian Radlmaier |
| Screenplay by | Julian Radlmaier |
| Produced by | Kirill Krasovski |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Faraz Fesharaki |
| Edited by | Julian Radlmaier |
Production company | Blue Monticola Film |
| Distributed by | Grandfilm |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Germany |
| Languages |
|
Phantoms of July (German: Sehnsucht in Sangerhausen) is a 2025 German comedy drama film written and directed by Julian Radlmaier. The film is a romantic adventure that explores an unexpected friendship and a deep yearning for a different life.[1]
The film had its world premiere at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on 7 August 2025, in the Main Competition section, where it competed for Golden Leopard.[2]
Cast
[edit]- Clara Schwinning as Ursula
- Maral Keshavarz as Neda
- Paula Schindler as Lotte (historic plot)
- Henriette Confurius as Zulima
- Ghazal Shojaei as Marjam
- Kyung-Taek Lie as Sung-Nam
- Buksori Lie as Buk
- Marlene Hauser as Daniella the cellist
- Jérémie Galiana as Paul the viola player
- Jérémie Galiana as wanderer Paul
- Andreas Bittl as wanderer Horst
- Jakob Schmidt as Norbert (historic plot)
- Luise von Stein as Grete (historic plot)
- Valerie Neuenfels as Frau Markgraf
- Leonard Scheicher as Robert, car mechanic
- Nils Ramme as Novalis (historic plot)
Production
[edit]
Principal photography began on 29 July 2024 in the regions of Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia in Germany. The filming ended on 12 September 2024.[3]
Release
[edit]Phantoms of July had its World Premiere at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on 7 August 2025, and competed for Golden Leopard.[4][5] It was also showcased at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival in 'Kinoscope' section in August.[6] It was also presented in the World Cinema section at the 30th Busan International Film Festival on 18 September 2025.[7] It also made it to the 'Meeting Point' slate of the 70th Valladolid International Film Festival.[8]
It was also screened in International Perspective at the São Paulo International Film Festival on 17 October 2025.[9]
It had its Australian Premiere as part of the feature fiction at the Adelaide Film Festival on 18 October 2025.[10] It will be presented in 'Cinema of the World - 2025' section of the 56th International Film Festival of India in November 2025.[11]
The film will be released on 27 November 2025 in the German cinemas.[12]
Reception
[edit]In his review at Locarno, Joseph Jenner of the International Cinephile Society rated the film with 4 stars out of five and praised the director Julian Radlmaier and called him "the heir apparent to the likes of Peter Greenaway." Jenner opined that the film stands out as a thoughtful and imaginative cultural critique, envisioning an ideal world where harmony prevails. He further described the film as vibrant, distinctive, and thoroughly engaging. Concluding review Jenner wrote that Phantoms of July is one of the year’s most captivating works, demanding careful "attention and patience," yet "where the reward is worth absolutely every minute of our time."[13]
Accolades
[edit]| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locarno Film Festival | 16 August 2025 | Golden Leopard | Phantoms of July | Nominated | [14] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Phantoms of July". Locarno Film Festival. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Mona Tabbara (8 July 2025). "Locarno unveils 2025 line-up including premieres of Radu Jude's 'Dracula', Kamal Aljafari's 'With Hasan In Gaza'". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ "Phantoms of July: Feature Film, 2024-2025". Crew United. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Szalai, Georg (8 July 2025). "'Dracula' by Radu Jude, David Lynch-Exec Produced 'Happy Worker' Set for Locarno Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Del Don, Giorgia (9 July 2025). "Locarno announces the selection of its highly anticipated competition". Cineuropa. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ "Introducing the Kinoscope Program of the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival". Sarajevo Film Festival. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ "Selection List: World Cinema". BIFF. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
- ^ "Avance de la 70 Seminci: Hermanos Dardenne, Sergei Loznitsa, Bi Gan, Lav Díaz y Mascaro, a por la Espiga de Oro" [Preview of the 70 Seminci: Dardenne Brothers, Sergei Loznitsa, Bi Gan, Lav Díaz and Mascaro, going for the Golden Spike]. Europa Press. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "Phantoms of July". São Paulo International Film Festival. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ "Phantoms of July". Adelaide Film Festival. 30 September 2025. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ^ "Cinema of the World - 2025". International Film Festival of India. 7 November 2025. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ^ "Sehnsucht in Sangerhausen" [Phantoms of July]. Filmstarts. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ^ Matthew Joseph Jenner (7 August 2025). "Locarno 2025 review: Phantoms of July (Julian Radlmaier)". International Cinephile Society. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
- ^ Marta Balaga (8 July 2025). "Radu Jude, Abdellatif Kechiche Head to Locarno as Swiss Fest Announces Lineup, An 'Ambitious and Exciting Edition'". Variety. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Phantoms of July at IMDb
- Phantoms of July at Locarno Film Festival
- Phantoms of July at Bendita Film Sales
