Post-war trauma in Berlin
Christian Petzold’s taut storytelling and visually rich filmmaking have made him the darling of German cinema. Phoenix sees concentration camp survivor Nelly Lenz endure reconstructive facial surgery to overcome the horrific injuries she suffered. In Post-WWII Berlin, Lenz sets about searching for her husband – despite knowing that it may be he who betrayed her to the Nazis. Betrayal and denial are at the heart of this moving and uncompromising film.