Sundance Selects will open PHOENIX, the stunning new feature from acclaimed director Christian Petzold (BARBARA, JERICHOW), on Friday, July 31 exclusively at Laemmle’s Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles. On August 7, the film’s run will expand to include Laemmle’s Playhouse in Pasadena and Laemmle’s Town Center in Encino, and is scheduled to include Orange County. A spellbinding mystery of identity, illusion and deception set against the turmoil of post-World War II Germany, the film reteams Petzold with his regular star, Nina Hoss, in their sixth collaboration. PHOENIX opens New York on July 24 and will continue to roll out nationally throughout the summer.
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 walks into 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 Petzold and the late Harun Farocki and featuring two powerhouse performances in the lead roles, PHOENIX was a favorite at the 2014 Toronto Film Festival, where it was voted Best Narrative Feature in Indiewire’s Critics’ Poll.
“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“An amazing piece of work that transcends historical document to become art.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
* A note about screening of the film: From: On August 7, the film’s run will expand to include Laemmle’s Playhouse in Pasadena and Laemmle’s Town Center in Encino, and is scheduled to include Orange County To: On August 7, the film’s run will expand to include Laemmle’s Playhouse in Pasadena and Laemmle’s Town Center in Encino, and the Edwards Westpark 8 in Irvine.