Sleeping Sickness (2011): cast, story & where to watch
2011 · Film · ★ 6.5
Released in 2011, Sleeping Sickness is a drama film directed by Ulrich Köhler, running about 91 minutes.
What it’s 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’s in it. Sleeping Sickness stars Pierre Bokma as Ebbo Velten, Jean-Christophe Folly as Alex Nzila, Jenny Schily as Vera Velten and Hippolyte Girardot as Gaspard Signac, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.5/10, Sleeping Sickness has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Sleeping Sickness page.
If you liked it. Fans of Sleeping Sickness tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Sleeping Sickness (2011)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for Sleeping Sickness change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is Sleeping Sickness worth watching?
- Sleeping Sickness holds an audience score of 6.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Sleeping Sickness?
- Sleeping Sickness stars Pierre Bokma, Jean-Christophe Folly, Jenny Schily, Hippolyte Girardot and Maria Elise Miller.
- When was Sleeping Sickness released?
- Sleeping Sickness was released in 2011, with a runtime of about 91 minutes.