The Frog and the Water

Dir. Thomas Stuber
Germany, 2025
113 min.
In German and Japanese with English subtitles

Buschi’s daily routine in an assisted living facility leaves no room for surprises. Seeking change, he seizes the chance to leave a group outing behind and joins a Japanese tour traveling through Germany. Having lived his entire life without speaking, Buschi forms a wordless friendship with Hideo—a man on a journey of his own—and the two create a bond that transcends language as they embark on an unexpected adventure.

This film will be introduced by Zach Ramon Fitzpatrick (University of Wisconsin-Madison).

SPEAKER BIO
Zach Ramon Fitzpatrick is Assistant Professor of German and affiliate of the Asian American Studies program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research and teaching interests encompass Asian German studies, as well as film and media. In 2025, he released the co-edited volume Charting Asian German Film History. Zach also runs the Instagram account @AsianGermanUpdates, where he posts about media, history, people, and community events, with the goal of empowering and lending visibility to the Asian German diaspora.

Tickets are free, but advanced registration is encouraged. Tickets will be available here beginning Monday, July 13th at 10:00AM.

Check out the full schedule for Chicago International Film Festival's Summer Screenings series, which features international films every week between June 3 and August 22, 2026.