PHOENIX

"An engrossing reflection on the postwar reconstruction of identity couched as a noirish thriller of mistaken identity … it is a precisely and exquisitely crafted chamber piece, resonant and gripping, softly building up to a stunning finale." – Film Comment

Auschwitz survivor and former nightclub singer Nelly returns to Berlin for plastic surgery to cover a facial disfigurement received during the war. When she comes across her estranged husband in a cabaret club, he fails to recognise her and she's in no rush to reveal her identity. She soon discovers that he's scheming to claim her family fortune, when he unwittingly enlists Nelly to impersonate herself in the plot.

Directed by Christian Petzold (Barbara, MIFF 2012; Yella, MIFF 2007) – who co-wrote the script (a loose re-working of Hubert Monteilhet's 1961 novel Le Retour des cendres) with essayist filmmaker, the late Harun Farocki – this highly atmospheric thriller is filled with twists and turns. With stunning cinematography and an extraordinary performance from Petzold muse Nina Hoss, Phoenix is an alluring noir experience.

"Truly elevating the pulpy source material, Petzold swirls the pot of suspense, revenge and guilt with not only a Hitchcockian but also a Fassbinderian touch. Films don't get more psychologically complex than this." – Cinema Scope