What remains of an identity when the country it belongs to disappears and the steel behemoths, once considered "unsinkable," are scrapped? This is the question that award-winning director Tom Fröhlich explores in his third cinematic documentary, "The Dream of Being Unsinkable," which will be released nationwide in cinemas on July 2, 2026, by jip film & verleih
The East German deep-sea fishing fleet once comprised over 100 vessels – the largest fleet ever to sail under the German flag. In 40 years, not a single one of these ships was lost at sea. But the political changes brought an end to this world of work: the fleet was almost entirely scrapped or sold off around the globe.
Rostock-based director Tom Fröhlich has tracked down four of these last witnesses. His journey takes the audience from the icy waters off Greenland , through a Spanish port and a Danish scrapyard, to the Port of Hamburg. Narrated by the distinctive voice of actor Charly Hübner, a multifaceted portrait unfolds, exploring themes of work, community, and the painful loss of home.
The documentary film turns out to be a multifaceted portrait of work, community, and the painful loss of home.
Trailer
The protagonists: Ships with souls
The film focuses on four ships and their eventful fates:
NIDA (formerly ROS 816): A freezer trawler, now sailing under the Lithuanian flag, on which the youngest sailor, Denis, struggles with seasickness and loneliness.
SEEFUCHS: A former cutter that underwent a dramatic transformation from a fishing vessel to a sea rescue operation in the Mediterranean and finally became a pawn in international drug investigations.
STUBNITZ: A technical monument that now serves as a floating cultural venue in the Port of Hamburg.
BLUE WHALE: A cutter whose story exemplifies the end of an era and whose journey ends at a Danish scrapyard.
NIDA Deck
A personal look behind the Iron Curtain
Directed by Tom Fröhlich
For Tom Fröhlich (born 1989), who himself grew up in Rostock, the project is a labor of love. "The task of telling the stories of these places lies with my generation – because the witnesses are dwindling," says the director. The film documents the last meetings of the old captains and sailors, whose identities remain inextricably linked to their bunks and engine rooms.
Festival successes and production
"The Dream of Being Unsinkable" has already enjoyed great success at national festivals, including DOK.fest Munich, the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Film Festival , and the Nordic Film Days Lübeck. The 87-minute film was produced by Rostocker Populärfilm in co-production with Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR).
Film data at a glance
THE DREAM OF BEING UNSINKABLE A Heimatfilm set at sea, directed by Tom Fröhlich, theatrical release: July 2, 2026
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