Christian Petzold aims to have Nina Hoss and Paula Beer lead the cast in his upcoming film.

      In a conversation with Christian Petzold last fall, the German filmmaker revealed that he was working on two films: the first being a crime narrative for German television, which would serve as his fourth entry in Polizeiruf 110, and the second focusing on “leftist political witches who are eliminating capitalists.” He has since initiated another project that could resemble a collaboration any major studio would envy: a drama featuring Nina Hoss and Paula Beer.

      “I’m considering making a film with both of them,” Petzold mentioned to Letterboxd. “I’ve written a bit of a script. If I can complete it after finishing this police drama, I believe Nina and Paula would be interested. It centers on a theater troupe under strain—they have lost their venue, as it was sold to a hostile entity. This will be their final season. They are staging a play by Chekhov, and their ensemble is rather weak. Yet, at this critical moment, when they know the group is doomed, they put on their finest performance ever. That would be the premise, with Nina and Paula as part of the cast.”

      Hoss gained international recognition by starring in Petzold’s works such as Something to Remind Me, Wolfsburg, Yella, Jerichow, Barbara, and Phoenix. Beer made her breakthrough with François Ozon’s Frantz and has led Petzold’s last four films: Transit, Undine, Afire, and Miroirs No. 3, which is now showing in U.S. theaters. Such a reunion would undoubtedly be one of the decade’s acting milestones, so we hope this project materializes.

      Petzold also shared his thoughts on the recent political issues surrounding Berlinale, opting to remain quiet regarding the genocide in Gaza. He told Variety about his experience on the 2024 jury, “We had many people onstage during my time on the jury. There were representatives from Gaza who spoke about their wish for a ceasefire. The Germans faced a significant dilemma. [The Germans] are the perpetrators; they orchestrated the Holocaust. Now they want to portray themselves as the good guys. Thus, they assert that antisemitism is the most abhorrent thing in the world. And it is. It’s absolutely terrible. However, there is a quote from [philosopher Theodor] Adorno—he posits that a philosemite is essentially an antisemite who has affection for Jews. They now wish to be philosemites.”