In the early 17th century, somewhere in Germany, a mysterious soldier arrives in an isolated Protestant village. Slight and modest by nature, with a face disfigured by a scar, the stranger declares himself to be the heir to a long-abandoned farmstead and produces a document to support his claim before the suspicious villagers. As time passes, he overcomes their doubts and, proving himself to be a hard-working, God-fearing man, becomes part of the community. However, his quest for acceptance is built on a brazen lie.
“Rose isn’t a revolutionary. She isn’t inspired by a social concept; she doesn’t want to set an example so things will be better for future generations. She takes this step for selfish reasons – because she doesn’t want to live as a woman under these conditions. She isn’t a revolutionary, but her actions are revolutionary.” (Markus Schleinzer)
Markus Schleinzer
Born in 1971 in Vienna, he began his film career as an actor before going on to work as a casting director on more than 60 film and television productions. He made his directorial and screenwriting debut with Michael, which premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. This was followed by the historical film Angelo, while his third feature, Rose, premiered in the main competition at the Berlinale.