Rose (2026)

Rose — Release Date: April 17, 2026. Directed by Markus Schleinzer and co-written with Alexander Brom, the film stars Sandra Hüller in the title role. An international co-production between Austria and Germany, the drama is set in the 17th century, shortly after the Thirty Years’ War.

The story follows Rose, a solitary soldier who arrives in a remote Protestant village claiming to be the rightful heir to a long-abandoned farmstead. Presenting official documents to support the claim, Rose seeks recognition and a place within a guarded and deeply suspicious rural community. The villagers, still shaped by war and loss, respond cautiously to the outsider’s sudden appearance and ambiguous past.

As Rose attempts to integrate into village life, the narrative gradually reveals that the identity itself is constructed. The name is assumed, and Rose’s true gender is concealed beneath the persona of a male soldier. Determined to secure legitimacy and belonging, Rose contemplates an arranged marriage with Suzanna, the daughter of a prominent farmer, a decision that further complicates the fragile balance between truth and survival.

Principal photography began in May 2024 in the Glasebach Valley in Saxony-Anhalt and concluded in December 2024, with additional filming in Lower Austria. The character of Rose draws inspiration from documented historical accounts of women who disguised themselves as men in early modern Europe, embedding the fictional narrative within broader historical patterns.

The film will have its world premiere in Competition at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 15, 2026, where it competes for the Golden Bear. It is scheduled for theatrical release in Austria on April 17, 2026, and in Germany on April 30, 2026.