Sebastian Schipper
Victoria

THE REVIEW

In Berlin, before the sun rises and after a night out in a club, Victoria, a girl from Madrid, encounters four guys, Sonne, Boxer, Blinker, and Fuss. This kicks off a day (or rather, a couple of hours) that will change the lives of Victoria and her new acquaintances.

A German film that has become a cult classic and scooped up numerous awards, especially in its home country, "Victoria" was made as a single continuous shot, after several attempts and with a minimal budget (which was laughably low). One of the surprises of 2015.

This film is among my favorites of recent years and is unjustly little known in Italy. As mentioned, it's shot incredibly as a single continuous shot, which gives it a unique dose of realism, also thanks to the great performances by the cast, particularly the two protagonists Laia Costa and Frederick Lau. The constant tension, even in the calmer moments, conveys an increasingly growing anguish, especially from the middle of the film onward. Although at that moment some may wrinkle their noses at some exaggerated choices by the protagonist (however, considering Victoria's past, one might also think that she needs a change now that she finds herself in a new place with no one to rely on), I can overlook the flaws because the power of the film is so great that it shatters them all.

My advice is not to read the plot around the web; the risk is to spoil the viewing. Let yourselves be carried away by the handheld camera of the great Sebastian Schipper and surrender to the film.