Sleeping Sickness
Schlafkrankheit
Synopsis
Ebbo and Vera Velten have spent the better part of the past twenty years living in different African countries. Ebbo is the manager of a sleeping sickness programme. His work is fulfilling. Vera, however, feels increasingly lost in Yaounde’s ex-pat community. She can’t bear the separation from her 14-year-old daughter, Helen, who is attending boarding school in Germany. Ebbo must give up his life in Africa or he risks losing the woman he loves. But his fear of returning to a land now remote to him increases with each passing day. Years later. Alex Nzila, a young French doctor of Congolese origin, travels to Cameroon to evaluate a development project. It’s been a long time since he set foot on this continent, but, instead of finding new prospects, he encounters a destructive, lost man. Like a phantom, Ebbo slips away from his evaluator.
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
Berlin Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Ulrich Köhler
- Screenplay & Story
- Ulrich Köhler
- Original Title
- Schlafkrankheit
- Country of Origin
- Cameroon, Germany, France, Netherlands
- Spoken Languages
- German, French, Dutch
- Runtime
- 1h 31m
- Production Studios
- Komplizen Film, Why Not Productions, Ö-Filmproduktion, IDTV Film, ZDF
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Ulrich Köhler
Ulrich Köhler
Patrick Orth
Eva Könnemann, Katharina Wartena
Maren Ade, Janine Jackowski, Katrin Schlösser
Department Leadership Roster
Ulrich Köhler
Director
Ulrich Köhler
Screenplay
Eva Könnemann
Editor
Katharina Wartena
Editor
Maren Ade
Producer
Janine Jackowski
Producer
Birgitt Kilian
Costume Design
Katrin Schlösser
Producer
Patrick Orth
Director of Photography
Jochen Dehn
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Sleeping Sickness.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Sleeping Sickness.
Streaming Top: Everything
Auto-updated 2026-09-23. Top-rated movies streaming on: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney Plus, Hulu, Apple TV, Paramount Plus Premium, Peacock Premium (US).
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sleeping Sickness
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Sleeping Sickness about?
Ebbo and Vera Velten have spent the better part of the past twenty years living in different African countries. Ebbo is the manager of a sleeping sickness programme. His work is fulfilling. Vera, however, feels increasingly lost in Yaounde’s ex-pat community. She can’t bear the separation from her 14-year-old daughter, Helen, who is attending boarding school in Germany. Ebbo must give up his life in Africa or he risks losing the woman he loves. But his fear of returning to a land now remote to him increases with each passing day. Years later. Alex Nzila, a young French doctor of Congolese origin, travels to Cameroon to evaluate a development project. It’s been a long time since he set foot on this continent, but, instead of finding new prospects, he encounters a destructive, lost man. Like a phantom, Ebbo slips away from his evaluator.
Who directed Sleeping Sickness?
Sleeping Sickness was directed by Ulrich Köhler.
Who stars in Sleeping Sickness?
The principal cast of Sleeping Sickness includes Pierre Bokma, Jean-Christophe Folly, Jenny Schily, Hippolyte Girardot, Maria Elise Miller.
When was Sleeping Sickness released and how long is it?
Sleeping Sickness was released in 2011 with a total runtime of 1h 31m.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Sleeping Sickness?
Sleeping Sickness holds official age classifications: DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.).