women, identity, justice, gender, oppressive norms
In the early 17th century, a soldier arrives at an isolated Protestant village in Germany claiming to be the heir to an abandoned farmstead. Even though he proves to be a good man, the villagers’ suspicions about his identity grow and they force a reckoning.
Born in Vienna, Schleinzer began his career as a casting director and worked on over 60 productions with filmmakers including Michael Haneke, Ulrich Seidl, and Shirin Neshat. Bringing an acute sensitivity to performance and power dynamics, he made his directorial debut with Michael, which premiered in Competition at Cannes in 2011. Rose (2026) is his third feature-length film.
