Led by Silver Bear winner Sandra Hüller, and directed and co-written by Markus Schleinzer, Rose premiered at Berlinale 2026. It is Schleinzer’s third feature, after Michael (2011) and Angelo (2018). Set in a 17th-century Protestant village in the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War, the film follows the mysterious soldier Rose (Hüller), a woman living as a man who takes the identity of a dead comrade in order to claim his inheritance. She attempts to establish herself as the village’s new master and enters into an arranged marriage with Suzanna, the daughter of a local farmer. Then an accident threatens to expose everything.
Schleinzer builds a character study steeped in the atmosphere of a grim folktale. Hüller continues her streak of outstanding performances, this one a transformative and intensely physical portrayal of a trickster. Rose’s masculinity is expressed in her voice, her walk, her posture, and her gaze. With extraordinary precision, Hüller shows a person who has learned how to move through the world by watching men closely and reproducing their authority. Even as the voiceover warns of the “wicked deeds” to come, and Gerald Kerkletz’s austere black-and-white cinematography gives the film an ominous severity, Rose herself remains controlled and inward. She is determined to build the life she believes she deserves, despite the dangers involved. Her pursuit of selfhood is set against a violently intolerant society structured by hierarchy, superstition, and patriarchy.
It is a story rich in thematic layers and with a clear political charge. This manifests, for instance, in the gap between Rose’s own sense of self and the unidentified narrator’s framing of her story. Rose recalls the feeling of wearing pants as a child and recognizing something true in that experience. Yet the omniscient narration imposes a more rigid account, forcing Rose back into the identity assigned to her at birth. As her secret unravels, the eruption of fear becomes a powerful portrait of the mechanisms behind transphobia and homophobia.
Out of that panic emerges the film’s most unexpected development: the tender bond between Rose and Suzanna. When Suzanna learns that her husband does not have a penis, the two choose to remain together and confront the forces closing in on them. Their fragile household becomes a moving image of queer possibility, held in constant tension with the cruelty of the world around them. Throughout, the film pits hope against despair and transformation against rigid tradition.
Rose is a brilliant film about tricksterism, survival, and the fluidity of gendered identity. Above all is Hüller’s extraordinary performance, which seems certain to draw major critical attention. Bleak, haunting, and brilliant, Rose turns ambiguity into something tragic, tender, and unforgettable.
What audiences will connect with this historical queer identity drama?
Rose will resonate most strongly with audiences drawn to character-driven historical dramas and films that explore identity through a psychological and performative lens. Viewers familiar with Sandra Hüller’s work will find this performance especially compelling, as it anchors the film’s emotional and thematic weight. Patrons interested in queer cinema, gender studies, or European art-house filmmaking will also find much to engage with, particularly in the film’s exploration of identity within rigid social structures.
Is this historical queer identity drama a strong choice for library collections or film programming?
Yes, particularly for academic and larger public libraries that support international cinema, LGBTQ+ topics, or historically grounded narratives. Rose offers a layered and visually striking exploration of gender, power, and survival, making it a valuable addition to collections that prioritize thought-provoking and critically significant films. Its setting in the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War also provides useful historical context for interdisciplinary programming.
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