Having received some of the strongest notices at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, Markus Schleinzer’s “Rose,” starring Sandra Hüller as a 17th-century woman who disguises herself as a male soldier, has been acquired by MUBI for a 2026 release. Hüller actually won the festival’s Silver Bear for her lead performance.
Schleinzer, previously a casting director for Haneke, who also caused quite a stir at Cannes 2011 with his shocking debut “Michael,” this time helms a black-and-white film centered on Rose (Hüller), a mysterious soldier disguised as a man, who arrives in a remote Protestant village. Claiming to be the heir of a long-abandoned farmstead, she presents a document to substantiate her claim to the skeptical villagers. Yearning for stability and a sense of belonging, Rose strives to integrate into the cautious community.
Most of the reviews zero in on Hüller, but the film itself was probably the most acclaimed out of this year’s Berlinale competition titles, with an 87 on Metacritic. The other big title, Lance Hammer’s “Queen at Sea,” still hasn’t found US distribution.
Hüller is set to have an insane 2026. It’s not just “Rose,” but these next 12 months will see her having roles in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s “Digger,” Paweł Pawlikowski’s “1949,” and she’s currently topping the box office with Lord and Miller’s “Project Hail Mary.”