MetFilm Distribution has unveiled the official UK and Irish artwork for The Tasters, a gripping historical drama inspired by real events in Nazi Germany. Based on the award-winning bestselling novel At the Wolf’s Table by Rosella Postorino, the film will arrive in UK and Irish cinemas from 13 March 2026.
Set during the final years of the Second World War, The Tasters tells the previously untold true story of a group of young women forced to risk their lives by tasting food for Adolf Hitler, in constant fear of poisoning.
The Untold Story Behind The Tasters
The story came to light in 2012, when Margot Wölk, aged 95, revealed that she had been one of several women coerced into becoming Hitler’s food tasters at his secret military headquarters, the Wolf’s Lair. After each meal, the women were required to wait for an hour to confirm the food had not been poisoned — a daily ritual that carried the threat of death.
Wölk was the only known survivor among the group by the end of the war. Her testimony inspired Postorino’s novel At the Wolf’s Table, which went on to win international acclaim and has now been adapted for the screen in The Tasters.
Award-Winning Talent On and Off Screen
Directed by Silvio Soldini (Days and Clouds, Two Lives), the film stars:
-
Elisa Schlott (The Empress, Our Miracle Years)
-
Max Riemelt (Sense8, Berlin Syndrome)
-
Alma Hasun (Corsage, The Glory of Life)
-
Esther Gemsch
-
*Jürgen Wink
Soldini, known for his intimate character-driven storytelling, describes the film as a pursuit of emotional truth rather than spectacle — a challenge heightened by the historical setting and the moral weight of the story.
Director Silvio Soldini on Truth and Authenticity
Speaking about the adaptation, Soldini explained that he was immediately captivated by Postorino’s novel and the emotional reality of its characters:
“Ultimately, that is always the challenge. A matter of truth… My primary concern was being able to believe in the life and truth of these young women who, eighty years ago, truly lived through this tragedy.”
Despite filming in German — a language not his own — Soldini emphasised that emotional authenticity transcended linguistic barriers, crediting the cast’s commitment and extensive rehearsal process for bringing the characters vividly to life.
Why The Tasters Matters
Unlike many World War II films focused on the battlefield, The Tasters explores a lesser-known form of coercion and survival, offering a female-led perspective on fear, power and moral compromise under totalitarian rule. It’s a story that interrogates how ordinary people are forced into extraordinary circumstances — and how survival itself can come at a profound psychological cost.
Release Details
-
Distributor: MetFilm Distribution
-
UK & Irish Cinema Release: 13 March 2026
-
Director: Silvio Soldini
-
Runtime: 123 minutes
-
Certificate: 15
