REVIEW: “Stella. A Life.” (2025)

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“Stella. A Life.” is a Holocaust film based on a remarkable true story. While rooted in historical facts from the 1946 trial records of the Soviet Military Court, the film presents a fictionalized account of Stella Goldschlag, a young Jewish woman living in Berlin as the Nazi regime rose to power. Like many Jewish people at the time, Stella experienced the horrors of Hitler’s rule. However, her actions during that period were surprisingly and disturbingly different from most.

Paula Beer, known for her excellent work with director Christian Petzold in films like “Transit,” “Undine,” and “Afire,” delivers a powerful performance in this film. She plays a character who undergoes a dramatic and heartbreaking change throughout the movie’s two-hour runtime. Beer handles the emotional complexity with skill, initially captivating us with her character Stella’s energy and charm – until those qualities begin to disturb us.

The movie begins in 1940 Berlin, introducing Stella Goldschlag, a talented and ambitious young woman hoping to become a jazz singer. She seems to have a bright future – her band is performing at upscale clubs, and they’ve even been invited to potentially play on Broadway in America. However, Stella’s promising dreams are quickly threatened by the harsh realities of being Jewish in Nazi Germany.

Director Kilian Riedhof then shifts the story to 1943, revealing Stella now works in a factory producing parts for the German army. The glamorous dresses, lively music, and fun nights with friends are a distant memory. Things become even more difficult when Stella, her mother Toni (Katja Riemann), and her father Gerhard (Lukas Miko) are forced to go into hiding as the Nazis begin arresting people.

Even as the world around her falls apart, Stella stubbornly clings to denial. She secretly goes out at night, blending in with non-Jewish people, believing, with naive hope, that she can pass unnoticed. She tells her father she doesn’t *look* Jewish, and despite being married to her longtime friend Fred (Damian Hardung), she spends her nights with German officers, eventually becoming involved with a reckless counterfeiter named Rolf (Jannis Niewöhner).

Stella’s good fortune doesn’t last, and she and her family are eventually captured. Facing beatings and the threat of being sent to Auschwitz, she makes a deal with the Gestapo: she will identify hidden Jews in exchange for a small payment and a promise of safety for her family. She later brings Rolf into her scheme. What starts as a desperate effort to save her loved ones tragically evolves into a shameful and callous betrayal, even finding moments of twisted enjoyment.

Riedhof masterfully tells Stella Goldschlag’s difficult story, exploring the reasons behind her choices and their devastating impact. The film vividly recreates the historical period with detailed costumes and sets, and features powerful performances that evoke a wide range of emotions. The film centers on Beer’s remarkable ability to portray the humanity within a deeply flawed and controversial figure. While historical records show Stella Goldschlag was responsible for the capture of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Jewish people, Beer’s nuanced performance earns our sympathy even as it shocks and disturbs, making it a truly unforgettable portrayal.

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2025-10-10 17:57