Exclusive Trailer for the Quay Brothers’ Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, Introduced by Christopher Nolan

      In a significant cinematic moment, the Quay Brothers are making their long-awaited return with their first feature since 2005. "Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass," a stop-motion and live-action project inspired by the works of Jewish-Polish author and artist Bruno Schulz, has been acquired by KimStim and will have a theatrical release starting on August 29 at Film Forum. With support from Christopher Nolan, a longtime admirer of the brothers' art, we are excited to exclusively reveal the new trailer and poster for what has recently become our top pick for must-see releases in August.

      "Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass" premiered as part of the Official Selection: Giornate degli Autori at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival. The synopsis reads: “After a 20-year hiatus, the animation legends the Quay Brothers present a film inspired by the writings of Polish author Bruno Schulz. Combining live action with exquisitely detailed stop-motion puppetry, the Quays depict the quest of Josef, who seeks his dying father at a complex sanatorium. Presented in seven chapters, each correlating with seven prophetic, mystical lenses, the film distorts time, objects, and dimensions as Josef traverses the boundary between dreams and reality."

      In our BFI London review, Oliver Weir noted, “This unique structure stems in part from the film’s visual style, which, like much of the Quays’ oeuvre, draws from German Expressionism. Every texture, movement, and melody carries significance, with characters utterly dominated by these aspects: they lack an internal existence, detached from their environment; everything they think or feel is manifested in the elaborate sets, the warped shadows, the monosyllabic close-ups, the calligraphic smoke patterns, and the silver glimmer of their distorted faces. This creates a haunting atmosphere reminiscent of the mood in Kafka’s 'The Castle,' instilling each moment with a deep ambiguity and existential dislocation that remains unresolved."

      Check out the exclusive trailer and poster below.