It is the mid-17th century, and the devastating Thirty Years’ War has finally come to an end. A badly scarred veteran arrives in a small village to claim his inheritance: a house that has stood empty for years. He is decent, God-fearing and hardworking, yet that alone is not enough. A man must also have a family, so he marries and fathers an heir. In the end, everything seems to be as it should be. Except it is not, because the man is not a man.
Directed by Austrian filmmaker
Markus Schleinzer,
Rose appears at first glance to be a stern period drama set in a harsh age. On closer inspection, however, it becomes a timeless portrait of an inward-looking and fearful community, where everyone believes they know the proper way to live, just as it has always been done.
Sandra Hüller once again delivers a remarkable performance in the title role as Rose, a woman who dressed as a man because, even then,
“In der Hose steckt mehr Freiheit” – there is more freedom in a pair of trousers.
Mickael Suominen