‘A Family’ Review – A Nuanced Understanding Of The Often-Unseen Consequences Of Divorce [Berlinale 2026]

When divorce occurs, the parents are often the main focus, while the children are reduced to innocent bystanders whose experiences matter less; however, not to the Dutch director Mees Peijnenburg. In his latest film, he flips that perspective, exploring the emotional world of the kids as they navigate their parents’ upheaval. He uses a highly subjective lens to depict how the two children are trying to process the trials, tribulations, and the often-unseen consequences of divorce.

The Paradise Drifters filmmaker jumps into A Family in the most chilling way possible. Teenagers Eli (Finn Vogels) and Nina (Celeste Holsheimer) are sitting in a courtroom, facing the most difficult decision of their futures. With whom are they going to live? Their answer won’t only impact their relationship with their parents (portrayed by Carice van Houten and Pieter Embrechts), but also their relationship with each other, as the judge reveals that their possible separation could be looming. The cold, harsh possibility of that happening and the even colder-looking courtroom make you instantly sympathise with the kids who are bearing the emotional weight of a divorce right at the start of adulthood.

From there, the movie uses the children as the vantage point, exploring through a chapter-based structure their emotional impact of the custody battle. While the two timelines intersect at key moments, the narrative framework beautifully shows how each child experiences these terrible times differently, despite being part of the same family.

When watching A Family, you instantly feel the Boyhood energy running through Peijnenburg and Bastiaan Kroeger’s screenplay. Seeing how the events shape Eli and Nina’s formative years certainly yields an overly touching experience. Mainly because the young actors deliver emotionally explosive yet subdued performances. Their brother-sister bond feels extremely natural, while nuanced emotions bring each character to life in their own way.

Whether it’s the sixteen-year-old girl who uses her artistry and dance to bring more hope and positivity into her life, or the younger boy whose shyness and innocence are stripped away by all the turmoil, the characters feel extremely real. And so do the performances. Vogels (Legacy) and Holsheimer (King of the Skies) step up to these challenging roles and deftly outclass the more famous names on the bill. They deliver flawless work, leaving you feeling that you know the teens in real life and that you’re holding their hand during this notably sombre phase of their lives.

As Vogels and Holsheimer prove that they’re the perfect emotional anchor in this otherwise tumultuous story, cinematographer Jasper Wolf (Monos) always stays close to them. Whether it’s filming from behind their shoulder or a close-up of their facial expressions, the camera lingers long enough to evoke the right emotions, without the scenes feeling dragged out. Body language becomes equally important as the (unspoken) words, as small anger and underlying irritation contribute to the quiet devastation of the children. So does Annelotte Coster’s (This Is Gonna Be Great) score. The music never becomes overpowering, staying in the background and giving the actors plenty of space to show their impeccable performances. However, it’s not because it’s only subtly present that it loses its impact. It remains equally soul-crushing throughout this powerful look at the often forgotten victims of a family breakup.

Thanks to the unhurried mix of the subtle score, captivating yet claustrophobic cinematography, and Imre Reutelingsperger’s (Overspel) natural-looking editing, you can gain a deep understanding of the children’s inner world. While the kids bear the emotional toll in subtle ways, the parents represent the more visible, vocal side of the separation. Despite van Houten (Game of Thrones) and Embrechts (De Rodenburgs) only briefly appearing as the bickering, disgruntled pair, their extensive career in acting ensures they bring this psychological warfare to life even more grippingly. The parents go to extreme lengths to convince their children to come and live with them. Still, in the process, they lose focus of their kids’ (emotional) needs, leaving Eli and Nina feeling even more isolated and misunderstood.

Whether it’s the balanced depiction of the frustrated parents or the candid exploration of the children’s psyche, the film always examines the effects of divorce in a compassionate, gentle way. The emotional accounts of each character involved make for a heartbreaking film until the final scene. While the gut-wrenching revelation certainly results in a moment of catharsis, the effect doesn’t fully come through because of an inconsistency in the writing. Despite this minor flaw, this beautifully shot film with compelling performances guides you through a heartfelt portrayal of divorce, childhood, and family.

A Family had its World Premiere in the Generation 14plus section of the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival.

Director: Mees Peijnenburg

Writers: Bastiaan Kroeger, Mees Peijnenburg

Rated: NR

Runtime: 89m