Event tips in Spittal/Drau: the sheep detective story hardly anyone has on their radar

You know Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, with claws and a bad attitude. Now that same man stands as a shepherd in a cardigan on an Irish meadow, reading crime novels to his sheep every evening. One morning he is found dead. And the flock decides to find the killer themselves. Anyone looking for event tips in Spittal/Drau right now will find exactly this film on 25 June 2026 at Cineplexx Spittal: Glennkill: A Sheep Detective Story. From the outside it looks like fun for children; in reality it is a genuine whodunit.

The surprise lies under the hood. What looks like an animated film is not one at all: it is a live-action film with real actors, and the talking sheep come from a computer. Studio Framestore provided the animation for the animals in the film, while the score was composed by Christophe Beck. The whole thing was directed by a man who spent his entire career in animation. The director is Kyle Balda, who takes on a live-action project for the first time after animation hits such as Minions. And the screenplay comes from someone you would least expect to find on a sheep detective story.

Event tips in Spittal/Drau: why this sheep detective story stands out

In short: it is the film that looks the most unassuming and gives back the most. Anyone looking for worthwhile event tips in Spittal/Drau should not underestimate it because of the cute poster.

The appeal lies in the contrast. At first glance: fluffy sheep, a picture-postcard village, a Hollywood star with a shepherd's crook. At second glance: a classic murder case with suspects, red herrings and a resolution. The film follows George Hardy, a shepherd who loves his sheep and keeps them only for their wool; every evening he reads them a crime novel, not realising that they not only understand every word but argue for hours afterwards about who the culprit is; when George is found dead, the sheep immediately understand that it was murder.

It is precisely this shift in perspective that makes the difference. The tension does not come from chase scenes but from observation and timing. The sharpest mind in the flock is the sheep Lily. Lily, the cleverest sheep in the world, always knows the solution to the crime novels before they are finished, and when George dies she therefore knows at once that someone had a hand in it. The local police officer is not much help, so the animals take matters into their own hands. Anyone who needs an event tip in Spittal/Drau for 25 June that works for children and does not bore adults has come to the right place.

The idea comes from a German novel

In short: the material does not come from Hollywood but from the pen of German author Leonie Swann. Her debut novel became an international success long before any studio came knocking.

Behind the film is a book that two decades ago founded its own small genre: the sheep detective story. The film is based on the 2005 novel "Three Bags Full" by Leonie Swann, known in Germany under the title "Glennkill". It is an international bestseller that was brought to the cinema under the international title "Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie". The basic setup is the same in the book as in the film, only slightly darker: a dead shepherd, a bewildered flock and the question of who is behind the crime.

It took a long time for this material to reach the cinema. Screenwriter Craig Mazin came across the book by a roundabout route and would not let it go. Mazin heard about the novel from Lindsay Doran and was struck by how clever, moving and philosophical it was; after he had written the first draft of the screenplay, it took almost a decade to secure the rights. The film was ultimately produced by an experienced team. Behind the blend of crime and comedy are Lindsay Doran ("Sense and Sensibility") and Working Title veterans Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner.

Real stars, animated sheep: how the film is made

In short: real actors appear in front of the camera, while the animals come from a computer. This combination explains why the film is neither a pure animated film nor a straightforward drama.

The fact that an animation specialist is directing a live-action film is no coincidence but a deliberate choice: the sheep must convincingly think, argue and investigate without looking silly. The screenplay is by Craig Mazin, known for the HBO series "Chernobyl" and "The Last of Us" as well as the "Scary Movie" films. That range from horror parody to bleakly serious post-apocalyptic drama is noticeable in the sheep detective story: it shifts between wit and quiet, almost melancholy moments.

In front of the camera, Jackman plays the centre of the story. Shepherd George Hardy, played by Hugh Jackman, cares tenderly for his flock, sleeps in a caravan on the meadow, has given every sheep a name and reads them crime novels every evening. Alongside him is a densely cast ensemble. The cast includes Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon and Hong Chau, as well as Emma Thompson, with voice performances by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O'Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey and Brett Goldstein. Emma Thompson plays village resident Lydia Harbottle, and her sharp remarks are, according to several reviews, among the highlights of the film.

For German-speaking audiences the dubbed version is particularly appealing because two of the country's best-known comedy voices are out on the meadow. In the German version, Anke Engelke voices the sheep Lily and Bastian Pastewka voices the sheep Mopple. Anyone sitting in the original-language screening at Cineplexx Spittal will hear Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Chris O'Dowd in the same roles. The film itself has not turned into a purely family product. The FSK rates it suitable for ages 6 and above.

What the critics say

In short: reviews range from friendly to enthusiastic, with one recurring caveat: the actual murder case is solid but not the most ingenious. The sheep carry the film.

The industry itself has supplied a neat shorthand. The film is described as "Babe" meets "Knives Out". The German-language trade press largely agreed. Stefan Geisler awarded 3.5 out of 5 stars on filmstarts.de and called the production a heartwarming whodunit adventure for the whole family; even if the actual case cannot keep up with comparable genre entries, it is an entertaining pleasure. Others went further. Oliver Armknecht rated the film eight out of ten on film-rezensionen.de, finding that it does justice to its source material and wins over audiences with charm, heart, humour and a perfectly tuned ensemble.

Almost everyone agrees on one thing: the strength lies not in the murder but in the flock. Antje Wessels concluded that the crime story, with its rather conventional murder case, wins through above all its charming sheep characters, clever humour and surprisingly profound themes. Audiences responded. As of 22 June 2026, the film had grossed around 126 million US dollars worldwide. Even so, it is flying somewhat under the radar here, because a crime story told from a sheep's perspective does not sell itself through loud trailers but through word of mouth. In a venue like Cineplexx Spittal that means pleasantly full but not overrun screens.

The rest of the programme at Cineplexx Spittal

In short: the sheep detective story is not the only date on offer these days. Around 25 June, the Spittal programme covers a wide range from superhero fare to children's adventures.

Anyone who wants something louder on the same evening has an alternative right in the programme: Supergirl, the new DC film about the Kryptonian, is also showing on 25 June 2026 at Cineplexx Spittal. Two days later, on 27 June, the major film biography Michael about Michael Jackson follows. And for the youngest guests there is the animated adventure Meine Freundin Conni - Abenteuer mit Kranich Klaus on 28 June, based on the popular children's book and pre-school series.

This makes it easy to plan around the sheep detective story. One weekend, three very different moods: a warm-hearted crime story, a music biopic and a film for the little ones. Screening times and language versions can be found on the linked event page, and the complete overview of the region is provided by the events calendar.

Spittal has been a theatre city for 65 years

In short: if a cultural evening is on the cards, it is worth looking beyond the cinema. Schloss Porcia has made Spittal famous well beyond Carinthia for decades, and 2026 is a special year.

The cultural heart of the city is a Renaissance building right on Burgplatz. The magnificent Renaissance building was completed in 1597 to designs by Italian architects and is regarded by art historians as the "most beautiful Renaissance building north of the Alps". A summer theatre has been performing in the arcaded courtyard for decades, and it has a remarkable founding story. In 1960, Annemarie Siller, Herbert Wochinz and Thomas Bernhard came to Spittal an der Drau, found the arcaded inner courtyard of Schloss Porcia to be an ideal setting for summer performances, and as early as 1961 almost the entire ensemble of the Wiener Theater am Fleischmarkt travelled there to open the inaugural season in the still-unrestored castle courtyard. The fact that the later literary star Thomas Bernhard stood at the cradle of this festival is something very few people know today.

In 2026 the festival celebrates a landmark anniversary. The Komödienspiele Porcia invite audiences to their 65th season at Schloss Porcia in summer 2026, under the motto "How real is reality?", which addresses questions of perception, truth and deception. A question that, incidentally, fits the sheep detective story: there too, the animals see the human world with all its lies without fully understanding it. The scale of the operation is illustrated by a single figure. On average, around 15,000 visitors come to Schloss Porcia for the Komödienspiele every year.

Anyone who wants to browse beyond the cinema should keep an eye on the summer. Theatre fans will find what they are looking for in the Theatre section, and for music events it is worth checking the Concerts category. That way a cinema evening can quickly become a whole cultural weekend.

Frequently asked questions about event tips in Spittal/Drau

Is "Glennkill: A Sheep Detective Story" suitable for children?

Broadly yes, the film is aimed at a wide audience and is rated suitable for ages 6 and above in Germany. But it is not entirely harmless: director Kyle Balda mixes a great deal of humour with more serious moments that never become too dark but can certainly bring a lump to the throat given what the sheep Lily begins to understand. Very young children may therefore need a helping hand during the sadder scenes.

Is this a cartoon?

No, and that is the twist. It is a live-action film with real actors such as Hugh Jackman, while the sheep and other animals were created using computer animation. Animation veteran Kyle Balda directs a live-action crime comedy here. This blend of live action and animation gives the film its own distinctive tone.

Do I need to have read the novel to understand the film?

Not at all. The film works as a standalone crime story, and the case is resolved differently from the book. Anyone who enjoys the novel by Leonie Swann should know that Mazin has adapted the material freely. The basic setup of the investigating flock remains the same, however.

In which language version is the film showing in Spittal?

Which version is showing at Cineplexx Spittal and at what time is confirmed on the relevant event page and at the cinema itself. Both versions are worth hearing: in the original, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Patrick Stewart voice the sheep; in the German version, Anke Engelke and Bastian Pastewka do.

Where can I get tickets?

Tickets and current screening times are available directly through Cineplexx Spittal. The event page in the calendar links to the official booking, where you can also see any last-minute changes. For the summer theatre at Schloss Porcia there is a dedicated box office on Burgplatz.

Sources

• evental event: Glennkill: A Sheep Detective Story, 25 June 2026, Cineplexx Spittal, Spittal/Drau
• evental event: Supergirl, 25 June 2026, Cineplexx Spittal
• evental event: Michael, 27 June 2026, Cineplexx Spittal
• evental event: Meine Freundin Conni - Abenteuer mit Kranich Klaus, 28 June 2026, Cineplexx Spittal
• evental hubs: Events calendar, Theatre, Concerts
• Wikipedia: "Glennkill: Ein Schafskrimi" (German) and "The Sheep Detectives" (English) on direction, cast, animation and cinema release
• kino.de and treffpunkt-kritik.de: cast, crew, German voice cast, FSK
• filmstarts.de, film-rezensionen.de and wessels-filmkritik.com: critical reviews
• The Hollywood Reporter and Flickering Myth: production history, live-action nature of the project
• kaernten.at, spittal-drau.at, ensemble-porcia.at and KLiCK Kärnten: Schloss Porcia, Komödienspiele Porcia and the 65th season 2026