In the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War, a mysterious soldier with a scarred face appears in a secluded village, claiming to be the heir to a long-abandoned estate. But this man holds a secret, he has assumed the identity of another. Living under a false name and concealing that she was born a woman, the soldier, also known as Rose, attempts to build a new life within a community that is welcoming only so long as she is not found out.
A strange historical fable, Rose is a film about the lengths one person will go to in pursuit of belonging, and the right to determine their own life. At the centre of it all is Sandra Hüller, giving a remarkable performance as a person caught between the life they have chosen and the society that refuses to accept them on their own terms. Winner of the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the Berlin Film Festival, Hüller brings an extraordinary mixture of mystery, humour, vulnerability, and defiance to the role. In a year where Hüller has given multiple remarkable performances, in Project Hail Mary, Fatherland (also at FCFF), and Digger, Rose stands out as a role that really allows her to show her entire range as an actor, proving that she really is one of the very best out there right now.
The 2026 edition of the Forest City Film Festival is powered by London Hydro.
