“Rose”

“Rose” is a film by Markus Schleinzer based on the true story of a woman who deceived the authorities and the public. The protagonist was born female but wore men's clothing and, under a false name, committed many wicked deeds. Sandra Hüller plays the title role and won a Silver Bear for it at the most recent Berlinale. “Rose” was one of the most talked-about titles at that festival.

Sandra Hüller is known for films including:

• “Anatomy of a Fall”
• “Project Hail Mary”
• “The Zone of Interest”
• “Toni Erdmann”

In “Rose,” she plays a mysterious soldier. She underwent a physical transformation, concealing her femininity beneath a man's outfit, and her performance combines roughness with gentleness and humor.

The story is set in 17th-century Germany. A war-scarred soldier arrives in a remote village, claiming to be the heir to an abandoned farm. The stranger initially arouses distrust, but the villagers are won over by the documents he brings, his remarkable diligence, and his willingness to submit to the strict rules of the Protestant community. In this setting, someone with no rights can only be themselves in disguise, so the title character must carefully hide their true nature and identity.

The film is about the price of freedom and the courage to live by one's own rules. It challenges patriarchal privilege and the binary division of gender, and coolly examines social mechanisms, which makes it surprisingly contemporary. It is minimalist yet meticulously recreates the details of life in a 17th-century German village. Austere, elegant images build an atmosphere of growing threat. Like Robert Eggers, Schleinzer is a master of stylization and unsettling atmosphere, and for both directors history serves as a pretext for a cinematic parable about our times. “Rose” pays tribute to those who paved the way for us and reminds us that the right to be oneself still requires a fight.