Everybody might be talking about Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya being on generational runs, but 2026 is really the year of Sandra Hüller – and Rose confirms it. After appearing in Oscar-winners Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest (and snagging a Best Actress nomination for the former), Hüller also memorably sang karaoke to Harry Styles in Project Hail Mary earlier this year. Now, she’s back in this black-and-white historical drama, for which she won the Silver Bear award at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival.
Rose tells the true story of its titular character in seventeenth century post-war Germany, played by Hüller. A woman disguised as a man, Rose shows up to a Protestant village posing as a soldier who is the heir to the land. As a man, she becomes a respected leader and citizen, but at the cost of hiding her true identity. Regardless, Rose will do whatever is necessary for a good life, including consenting to an arranged marriage to a woman named Suzanna (Caro Braun). Expectedly, letting somebody else into her life makes it increasingly difficult to conceal her gender.
With this being Austria’s official entry for Best International Feature at next year’s Academy Awards, there should be no doubt that Hüller receives much deserved recognition for her tour-de-force performance. If you thought she was good in Anatomy of a Fall, you’ll be blown away by her prowess, subtlety and absolute fierceness here. It is without a doubt her best performance so far and what elevates Rose to a poignant level of impact. As for the film itself, this true story is told in a compelling, artistic and completely affecting way. With fittingly haunting monochrome visuals that capture the grimy time period well, Rose’s story is one that examines gender stereotypes in a very traditional setting, but still feels very timely to do this day. The line “there was more freedom in trousers” perfectly sums up her universally feminine struggle and the tragedy of having to live such a lie in order to have a full life.
While being somber in tone, Rose also manages to sprinkle in essential doses of humour throughout, which feels appropriate due to the absurdity of the plot and situation. Unexpectedly, there are some very funny moments, which help to add to the film’s humanity and accessibility. Despite intentionally being slow and moody, the pacing is incredibly solid, which is also assisted by a lean runtime that doesn’t outstay its welcome. Without giving anything away, the film’s hard-hitting ending perfectly punctuates its message, and will leave viewers with plenty to ponder when it comes to ideals of women in society both historically and contemporarily. A shout out should also be given to Hüller’s co-star Braun, who exceptionally supports the leading actress and manages to create a character that goes through her own unique and emotional journey also.
Currently screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival, Rose is an excellent piece of cinematic work that will leave a lasting impression. Thanks to the genius of Hüller and a thematically relevant script, expect to see this one garner awards buzz near the end of the year.
