Rose is a 2026 drama film directed by Markus Schleinzer, co-written by Alexander Brom and Schleinzer. Set in the 17th century, it follows mysterious soldier Rose (Sandra Hüller), a woman disguised as a man, who appears in a secluded Protestant village. She declares herself the heir of a long-abandoned farmstead and produces a document to support her claim to the suspicious villagers.
The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on 15 February 2026, where it received critical acclaim and won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance for Hüller. It was theatrically released in Austria on 17 April by Filmladen Filmverleih, and in Germany on 30 April by Piffl Medien.It will be released by Mubi in the United States on December 11, 2026.
It was selected as the Austrian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
Contents
Plot
At the end of the Thirty Years' War, a former soldier arrives in a remote Protestant village and lays claim to a neglected estate as its long-missing heir. Unbeknownst to the villagers, the soldier is in fact Rose, a woman who has been posing as a man for years and has assumed the identity of a fellow soldier killed during the war.
Rose works tirelessly to rebuild the farm and gradually earns the respect of the community. Her reputation grows when she shoots dead a bear, saving the life of a villager in the process. Desiring to expand, Rose offers to purchase a patch of land by a stream from a prominent local farmer. The farmer, unwilling to sell, grants her access to the land on the condition that she marries his eldest daughter, Suzanna, to which Rose agrees. Rose's unwillingness to consummate the marriage upsets both Suzanna and her father. She later resorts to using a makeshift strap-on dildo without Suzanna's knowledge, and is surprised when Suzanna announces her pregnancy.
While the birth of a child appears to secure the family's future, an accident occurs one summer when Rose is badly stung while beekeeping, leaving her bed-bound for an extended period. When checking her body for injuries, Suzanna and a maid discover that Rose is a woman. Rose reveals the truth of her life to Suzanna, who, out of genuine care for Rose and unwilling to give up her own newfound freedom, elects to maintain the appearance of a marriage. The maid on the other hand informs the villagers, leading to a confrontation at Rose's farmhouse. The two women are forced to flee with the child but are quickly apprehended.
A bailiff is dispatched to the village to conduct an investigation, during which Rose defends her desire for freedom to no avail. Suzanna is ultimately sentenced to death by drowning for fraud and adultery. Rose is sentenced to death by beheading, though her execution is postponed until she could give birth following her rape by four men. During the reprieve, Rose decides to write down her own life story.
Cast
Sandra Hüller as Rose
Caro Braun as Suzanna
Marisa Growaldt as narrator (voice)
Godehard Giese as large-scale farmer
Robert Gwisdek as bailiff
Augustino Renken as old servant
Maria-Victoria Dragus as large-scale farmer
Sven-Eric Bechtolf as judge
Rainer Egger as doctor
Maurice Leonhard as young servant
Production
The film is an international co-production between Austria and Germany. Principal photography began on 7 May 2024 on locations in the Glasebach Valley in the Harz district of Saxony-Anhalt. Filming ended on 13 December 2024 in the locations at Austria – Lower Austria, Germany – Saxony-Anhalt.
The lead character of Rose played by Sandra Hüller, is inspired by numerous documented accounts of women disguised as men throughout European history.
In February 2025, it was reported that the film produced by Schubert, ROW Pictures and Walker + Worm Film was in the advanced post-production stage.
Release
Rose had its world premiere on 15 February 2026, as part of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, in Competition. It is set to compete for the Firebird Award at the 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival in April 2026. The film was released in the German theatres on 30 April 2026 by Piffl Medien, and in the Austrian cinemas on 17 April by Filmladen Filmverleih. The film was also part of 73rd Sydney Film Festival Special Presentations, it was screened on 5 June 2026 and also in the Horizons section of the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it was screened from 3 July to 9 July 2026. On 7 August 2026, it was screened in the Melbourne International Film Festival in Headliners Strand, and on 15 August in Focus section at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival, and at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Main Programme section on 23 August 2026. A week later on 31 August, it was screened in Portraits section of the New Zealand International Film Festival.
It had its North American premiere at the 53rd Telluride Film Festival in September. It is set to screen for its Belgian premiere on 8 September 2026 at the Brussels International Film Festival in 2026 International Competition. The film will also have its New York Premiere in 'Main Slate' at the 2026 New York Film Festival on 26 September 2026. On 5 October 2026, it will be presented in Galas and special presentations at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival. It was selected in the World Cinema section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, and in the Main Slate of Mill Valley Film Festival for screening on 8 October 2026.
It will also be showcased in the 'Dare' section of the 2026 BFI London Film Festival on 13 October 2026. It was also selected in the 'Official Section' slate of the 71st Valladolid International Film Festival (for its Spain premiere in October).
The Match Factory acquired the sales rights of the film in 2023. In March 2026, its parent Mubi acquired distribution rights to the film in North and Latin America, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Italy and Turkey.
Reception
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes website, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 26 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 88 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".