IMDb 6.3 2024 HD

The Sparrow in the Chimney

The Sparrow in the Chimney

2024
Drama
117 min NR Switzerland
6.222 / 10
6.3 IMDB

Karen and Markus live with their children in Karen’s parents’ house. Karen’s sister Jule travels with her family to Markus’ birthday party. While Karen takes everyone’s breath away…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Ramon Zürcher / Joel Glatz
Starring
Maren Eggert / Britta Hammelstein / Luise Heyer / Andreas Döhler / Milian Zerzawy / Lea Zoë Voss / Paula Schindler / Ilja Bultmann

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

tense dramatic suffocating explosive cathartic familial overpowering contrasting transformative unsettling powerful raw

Reviews

S
Sophia Reyes
Mar 13, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

A deeply affecting exploration of familial friction, 'The Sparrow in the Chimney' excels in its nuanced portrayal of interpersonal dynamics. Maren Eggert is electrifying as the controlling Karen, a character whose every move is calculated to dominate. Britta…

D
David Chen
Mar 13, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

The premise of 'The Sparrow in the Chimney' promises a dramatic family showdown, and it certainly delivers on that front. Maren Eggert’s commanding presence anchors the film, though the relentless portrayal of her character’s dominance can become exhausting.…

I
Isabelle Dubois
Mar 13, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

This is a masterclass in controlled chaos. The film’s strength lies in its slow burn, meticulously detailing the cracks in a seemingly ordinary family gathering. Maren Eggert’s portrayal of Karen is a tour de force of passive aggression…

M
Marcus Thorne
Mar 13, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

'The Sparrow in the Chimney' is a character study that excavates the dark corners of familial obligation. Eggert’s Karen is a force of nature, almost too much to bear, which is precisely the point. Hammelstein provides a necessary…

E
Eleanor Vance
Mar 13, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Maren Eggert delivers a formidable performance as Karen, a matriarch whose sheer force of will suffocates her family. The film thrives on the palpable tension between her and Britta Hammelstein’s more yielding Jule, a dynamic that crackles with…

FAQs

The confrontation is depicted as a pivotal event, a 'fiery inferno' that marks a turning point. It arises from the sustained pressure of Karen's domineering nature and the growing opposition to it. The film builds towards this climax, suggesting it's not just an argument but a complete breakdown of existing family structures and relationships. The destruction it causes is framed as necessary for any future rebuilding, highlighting its profound impact.