By José Alberto Hermosillo
“Undine” is a poetic and subtly haunting masterpiece by the talented German director Christian Petzold. His latest work transitions seamlessly among romance, thriller, and fantasy.
The detailed plot immerses the characters in a rare aquatic world where they confront internal changes they wish to avoid. After a difficult breakup, Undine (Paula Beer: “Barbara,” “Frantz,” “Dark Valley,” “Never Look Away”) and Johannes (Jacob Matschenz, “Berlin Babylon” series) never hear from each other again.
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| Undine, still courtesy of IFC Films |
Undine falls into an obsessive mindset. She works as a historian at Berlin’s Urban Development Museum. When she gives a lecture, she hopes her ex-lover will wait at the café until she finishes. If not, she might do something she regrets. Still, her job gives her confidence. Her knowledge of Berlin’s history and architecture along the Spree River is important to the story.
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| Undine, still courtesy of IFC Films |
When Undine returns, she cannot find Johannes. Instead, she meets Christoph, played by Franz Rogowski (“Transit,” “Victoria,” and “A Hidden Life”). Undine and Christoph share one of the most bizarre first encounters in film history.
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| Undine, still courtesy of IFC Films |
The characters’ emotions perfectly complement the camera work. Paula Beer radiates energy and joy on screen. She earned the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Actress for her remarkable portrayal of Undine. Franz Rogowski’s performance is exceptional.
The talented young actor consistently delivers his best in every project. In addition to winning at the Berlinale, the film received seven international awards, including Best Actress at the European Film Awards, Montclair, and Seville.
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| Undine, still courtesy of IFC Films |
Inspired by the novel “Moscow Diary” by German-Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin, director Christian Petzold (Barbara, Transit) spent two years writing the script for “Undine.” First, he had to capture Moscow’s view of Berlin—exploring the novel’s legend across three periods in the city’s history and focusing on three aspects of Berlin’s architecture.
He also had to shift the perspective from male to female to make the film’s structure more cohesive and to enhance the original poetry.
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| Christian Petzold, German director, “Undine.” Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo |
Petzold designed his cinema trilogy, inspired by elements of nature, beginning with “Phoenix,” which represents Earth. “Undine” symbolizes water. His next project, “The Lucky Ones,” will embody fire and will begin production in May 2022.
Petzold masters cinematic language, seamlessly blending urban knowledge into the story’s fantasy. His previous film, “Transit,” is intense, with more theatrical characters. “Undine” feels more fluid and ethereal, like water itself. The director enjoys building structures, literally.
He regrets that Germany lacks a stable film industry, a professional movie studio, or the infrastructure needed to produce films on par with Hollywood. Still, his extensive body of work speaks volumes.
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| Undine, still courtesy of IFC Films |
“Undine” reminds us of other recent, compelling European romances on the big screen, such as Jacques Audiard’s “Rust and Bone” and Felix van Groeningen’s Belgian film “The Broken Circle Breakdown.” Other transcendent romances include the classic Arthur Hiller’s “Love Story” and Claude Lelouch’s Oscar-winning “A Man and a Woman.”
“Undine” has a smooth flow and maintains an even emotional tone. Its structure features twists and turns that lead us into unpredictable situations.
According to the myth, Undine is the betrayed woman of the waters, living in a forest lake.
The spirit within the water serves as a symbolic link that ties together all the liquid images—the fish tank, the scuba diver, the river, the lake, the rain, the swimming pool, the city, the burning pain, and love, which dissolves like a fluid.
In “Undine,” the romance goes beyond the myth because, without love, we are hollow.
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Undine is the betrayed woman?
ReplyDeleteIn the legend, she is. In the film, she is not exactly betrayed. You have to watch the film and find out.
DeleteIt's nostalgia: learning that past events that didn't seem happy were, in fact, happy. Movies https://viooz4k.net teach us that.
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