Phoenix
Rapturous...ardent, urgent and smoldering...so beautifully made that it comes close to perfect.
Phoenix
PHOENIX is the stunning new feature from acclaimed director Christian Petzold (BARBARA, JERICHOW). A spellbinding mystery of identity, illusion and deception set against the turmoil of post-World War II Germany, the film re-teams Petzold with his regular star, Nina Hoss, in their sixth collaboration. PHOENIX was a favorite at the 2014 Toronto Film Festival, where it was voted Best Narrative Feature in Indiewire's Critics' Poll.
Berlin, 1945: Nelly (Nina Hoss), a German-Jewish, ex-nightclub singer, has survived a concentration camp. But, like her country, she is scarred, her face disfigured by a bullet wound. After undergoing reconstructive surgery, Nelly emerges with a new face, one similar but different enough that her former husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld, BARBARA), doesn’t recognize her. Rather than reveal herself, Nelly begins a dangerous game of duplicity and disguise as she tries to figure out if the man she loves may have been the one who betrayed her to the Nazis.
Co-written by the late Harun Farocki and featuring two powerhouse performances in the lead roles, PHOENIX is a haunting and intricate drama that once again affirms Petzold as one of the most accomplished filmmakers working today.
"Superbly crafted, emotionally resonant… Both a powerful allegory for post-war regeneration and a rich Hitchcockian tale of mistaken identity, 'Phoenix' once again proves that German filmmaker Christian Petzold and his favorite star, Nina Hoss, are clearly one of the best director-actor duos working in movies today." – Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter
"A haunting portrait of identity, loss and the search for answers in post-WWII Berlin. Petzold is such a gifted storyteller, with the lean, driving narrative sense of the film noir masters."
– Scott Foundas, Variety
"An amazing piece of work that transcends historical document to become art. It's unforgettable. Hoss is mesmerizing here in every single beat. It’s a performance from which you can’t turn away." – Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
Berlin, 1945: Nelly (Nina Hoss), a German-Jewish, ex-nightclub singer, has survived a concentration camp. But, like her country, she is scarred, her face disfigured by a bullet wound. After undergoing reconstructive surgery, Nelly emerges with a new face, one similar but different enough that her former husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld, BARBARA), doesn’t recognize her. Rather than reveal herself, Nelly begins a dangerous game of duplicity and disguise as she tries to figure out if the man she loves may have been the one who betrayed her to the Nazis.
Co-written by the late Harun Farocki and featuring two powerhouse performances in the lead roles, PHOENIX is a haunting and intricate drama that once again affirms Petzold as one of the most accomplished filmmakers working today.
"Superbly crafted, emotionally resonant… Both a powerful allegory for post-war regeneration and a rich Hitchcockian tale of mistaken identity, 'Phoenix' once again proves that German filmmaker Christian Petzold and his favorite star, Nina Hoss, are clearly one of the best director-actor duos working in movies today." – Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter
"A haunting portrait of identity, loss and the search for answers in post-WWII Berlin. Petzold is such a gifted storyteller, with the lean, driving narrative sense of the film noir masters."
– Scott Foundas, Variety
"An amazing piece of work that transcends historical document to become art. It's unforgettable. Hoss is mesmerizing here in every single beat. It’s a performance from which you can’t turn away." – Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
Genre
Drama,
History
Runtime
98
Language
German
Director
Christian Petzold
Cast
Nina Hoss,
Ronald Zehrfeld
FEATURED REVIEW
Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, AV Club
A lot of these patterns converge on Christian Petzold's Phoenix (Grade: A), the best film I've seen so far at TIFF, and one of the best new movies I’ve seen this year. A kind of cross between Black Book and The Skin I Live In...
Played at
Royal 7.31.15 - 9.17.15
Playhouse 7 8.07.15 - 9.27.15
Town Center 5 8.07.15 - 9.13.15
Claremont 5 8.21.15 - 9.11.15
Lumiere Music Hall 9.11.15 - 9.24.15
NoHo 7 9.11.15 - 9.24.15
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