The Frog and the Water, by Thomas Stuber, winner of the Student Oscar for his 2012 short story The Dog and the Horse, which will have its world premiere at the Tallinn Book Competition, sounds like a fairy tale.
And so it is. A heartwarming story about the unlikeliest of characters, two drifting souls who unexpectedly, almost magically, form a bond and become friends. The first clip from global distributor The Match Factory reveals a cheerful mood and playfulness.
The feature, produced by long-time German arthouse player Pandora Film Produktion, marks a new start for Stuber. Best known internationally for 2016 Toronto winner A Heavy Heart, Golden Bear winner In the Aisles (2018), and Dark Satellites (2022), all co-written with Clemens Meyer, Stuber’s The Frog and the Water is based on an idea by Stuber and Bei Yamamoto’s co-writer Gotthard Kuppel. The picture was also the German helmer’s first film to be set in multiple countries, and was shot in German, Japanese, and English.
The central character, Stephen Bush (better known as Bush), lives in a nursing home where his days are filled with mundane activities. While out with a group, he suddenly chooses a different route and follows a group of Japanese tourists traveling through Germany. An unexpected bond and an interesting friendship that cannot be put into words develops between one of the tourists traveling alone, the man in black, and Hideo Kitamura. Their connection transcends cultural barriers and leads Bushi on a new adventure.
The German-Swiss co-production by Pandora Film Productions, Hugofilm Productions, Lomotion and Gretchenfilm is scheduled for release in Germany on April 30, 2026 through Pandora Film.
We spoke to Stuber ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn on November 19th. He told Variety about how he got lost translating Japanese, unlike Bush, the main character who communicates without words. Instinctively and by imitation.
What was the origin of this heartwarming buddy road movie?
It all started in 2018. I was in the main competition at the Berlinale with In the Aisles and Pandora Films approached me with this script by Gotthard Kuppel. Then I worked pretty intensively to get the script into shape. This is a leap forward from my previous films, Heavy Heart, In the Aisles, and Dark Satellites, all of which were connected in some way to the pre-unification era of East Germany.
I like the core idea here. I felt it was a very unique song that I had never heard before, and I was immediately drawn to it. Again, this is a story about outsiders, the kind of story I like, and maybe why I was given the script. The two main characters are outsiders from a small group outside of society who take their fate into their own hands. It felt very magical and heartwarming, almost like a fairy tale but set in a realistic world.
What was it like diving into this story and creating a bridge between Western and Japanese culture? Do you think it was important for you to have Bei Yamamoto as a co-writer?
My first connection to Japan was when In the Isles was distributed in Japan in 2019. I went to Tokyo with the lead actor, Franz Rogowski, and my guide, Bei Yamamoto, also helped me out. That’s when our friendship and cooperation began. We had our own ideas for the material, but the script needed a Japanese eye to make it authentic and culturally relevant. I myself have always wanted to know more about Japan, so I have traveled there quite extensively, and researching this project has created a strong bond with Japanese culture, people, and society.
However, the more I learn about Japanese culture, the more I feel like I don’t know anything. That is something to acknowledge and accept. And, going back to “The Frog and the Water,” perhaps that’s the power of this story. There’s a character named Buski who doesn’t question that (cultural differences). That’s exactly what he is. He searches for where he should be and discovers that he is near Hideo Kitamura. That is its magic and beauty.
What was the casting process like finding Aladdin Detlefsen for the main character of Bushki?
Casting was the most intense thing I’ve ever experienced. Bushi’s characteristic is that he never speaks except for the last word. It’s not because he’s mute, it’s because he chooses not to. Since he does not speak, there was no need to look only for Germany. We contacted a number of theater companies with disabled people throughout Switzerland, the Netherlands, France and Germany and made casting calls at various stages. We found some great professional actors and secured some for supporting roles. We narrowed it down to three or four people until we went to Aladdin (at Atelier Blaumeyer) in Bremen. I mean, hear that name! He nailed it!
How did you help him prepare for the role?
He had never worked on a feature film this long, so we had to think about the basics. That means how many hours you can work in a day. How many days a week can you do it? But he worked as many hours every day as necessary. This was a real surprise. It took about two years of rehearsals for Aladdin to adapt to his character and familiarize himself with the story. At the same time, we made sure that he has a fresh acting method.
Buschy has a unique way of imitating Hideo Kitamura. Lovely scenes in restaurants and in the countryside add a new dimension to the choreographed movements. It must have taken a lot of time to rehearse…
Imitation is a very important part of the movie. Something that I studied and researched because I really like it. How nature behaves and how we as humans behave. I think that’s very interesting. How can we get to know each other or someone we don’t know? Imitation is a method of communication. No words. And here again, I think Bushki’s character is way ahead of us communicating in the usual way. Perhaps we need to learn from him. First, don’t judge, look closely, maybe imitate, maybe copy. Try something yourself. That’s how Bushi builds a magical bond with Kitamura.
Regarding the two scenes you mentioned, it’s not a perfectly choreographed “La La Land.” That’s not what we wanted. We were looking for something on a narrow road that was set up but had some imperfections. That was its soul.
Kanji Tsuda, who plays Kitamura, the mysterious black-clad man who naturally accepts Bushi, is also wonderful. How did you cast him?
Well, it was another difficult process. First, I wanted to find the ideal Japanese actor to create the odd couple Bushki. Kanji is a versatile and experienced professional actor. I saw it in “Onoda: 10,000 Nights of the Jungle.” I was very impressed with it. “Tokyo Sonata” is also wonderful. But again, communicating with Japanese casting companies and diving into casting Japanese actors was a whole new world for me. Of course you need to speak English, but you always have to translate everything. And just like in movies, how much is really lost in translation?
It’s also a story about sadness, but there’s also a nice touch of humor. Kitamura’s inner secrets are gradually revealed. Can you talk about your character development?
Throughout all my work, my method of storytelling is to not give too much background to the characters, not to explain too much, and to let the audience find out for themselves. As for Bussi, we understand very little about his background, but I believe there is enough to continue that journey with him. Discover something along the way. The same goes for Kitamura. why is he traveling alone? When he meets Busky, that unexpected encounter fills in the blanks. Bussi has a talent for inspiring everyone he meets. No one can explain exactly why, but that’s the way it is.
The third major character is Bush’s caretaker (played by Bettina Stuckey) who continues to follow Bush and adds a kind of slapstick element to the story. How would you describe her?
Well, I thought about “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and wanted to create my own janitor. In Milos Forman’s film, Jack Nicholson’s janitor evolves into a very dark and sinister character. I thought that was fine and great for that movie, but it definitely felt wrong to us. I need to create another one that is lighter.
I think in most of my movies there is no antagonist, no real obstacles that need to be overcome. In “The Frog and the Water,” all the characters are good people. And even Bush’s caretakers only want what’s best for Bush. All she needs to know on her journey is that this man’s ideas are big and unstoppable. It’s like a parent with a child. It’s about learning to let go.
Can you tell us more about your visual style and camerawork?
This was my first collaboration with Swiss cinematographer Philipp Zumbrunn. I wanted to leave the frame uncropped and stand up, using a combination of handheld camera and fixed images, where the Bushki could just walk and us jump next to him. I think it adds humor. The other thing is the frame. At the beginning, there’s a very narrow 4×3 frame that represents the world he’s in, but for some reason it doesn’t quite fit him. He wants to break out of this box. Then, when he meets Kitamura, the frame expands to widescreen.
What does the title “Frog and Water” mean to you?
The title was chosen by my co-author Gotthard Kuppel from the early stages of the project. Although it is not a real haiku, it has a haiku atmosphere. The song was composed by Gotthardt, and I think it fits the story very well with its gentle and mysterious atmosphere. Frogs in their natural environment are simple, but at the same time not so simple.
In today’s world where bigotry and intolerance are rampant, was it important to you to remind people to be kind and to be open to life’s encounters?
Admittedly, I watch a lot of great heavy dramas about world affairs. But I think you’re right. Someone has to come up with other stories, and those are the kind of arthouse movie experiences I want to create.
What’s next?
We are currently finishing post-production on the final episode of the three-part crime drama ‘Polizeiruf 110’. I’m also in the early stages of my next feature film, which dives into the world of theater in the late 1980s and early 90s.
