Berlinale 2015: Victoria

Director: Sebastian Schipper
Cast: Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski
Length: 140 minutes
Country: Germany

I’ve had some crazy nights in Berlin. Unlike in England, where the clubs mostly close around three, signifying the end of the night, Berlin has no clear demarcation between night and day. The party never seems to stop. But I’ve never had a night quite like Victoria’s (Laia Costa) , who, upon leaving the club at four in the morning, finds her night is just about to begin. Over the next few hours her life changes immeasurably.

Filmed all in one continuous take, Victoria works both as a celebration of the city and as a compelling thriller. The movie starts with the sound of techno music, as Victoria dances in a typically dark Berliner club. She is an immigrant from Spain and speaks no German, but has a job working at a café for four euros an hour – minimum wage was only recently implemented in Germany. Early on we learn that she’s a Yes type of person, downing schnapps at the bar.

When she meets four young lads (Real Berliners as they call themselves) outside, they invite her to hang out with her, and she heartily complies, with no idea where the night is about to take her. The choice to make the main character non-German makes sense. I, for one, am much more likely to join random parties abroad than back in dodgy London. Also, her inability to understand any German adds dramatic irony, as we know more about what’s happening than her than she does.

 A highly enjoyable ride, not just for the camerawork, but by the way that Berlin is brought to life in the way I love.

There are some warning signs from the start, as the group of lads, helmed by the somewhat-charming Sonne (Frederick Lau), are seen attempting to steal a car. For some reason, possibly because she’s taken some drugs in the club, she doesn’t mind, and follows them onto a rooftop to smoke a joint. Things escalate from there, but due to well-worked foregrounding in the script, and the compassionate nature of Victoria, what transpires remains “relatively” believable.

By capturing a whole film in all one take, the chances of observing little pieces of magic increases, and there are some truly captivating scenes, such as when Victoria and Sonne go back to her café and she performs the Mephisto Waltz for him on the piano. These standout moments are made even more impressive considering the conditions of filming, marking one marvel at its seamless choreography. Being present for practically the entire film, Costa carries it beautifully, skilfully portraying a recognisable character (the hard-partying, yet sweet European girl living in a foreign country) throughout the ever-shifting action.

The film is Victoria’s, and her character will stay with me for a while. She reminds me a bit of Lola in Run Lola Run, and the two films together would make a great double feature. However, apart from Sonne, none of the other characters really move past mere sketches. Additionally, whilst the last thirty minutes are filled with nail-biting tension, plus a perfectly-framed final shot, it drags a little in the middle. Nevertheless, it’s a highly enjoyable ride, not just for the camerawork, but by the way that Berlin is brought to life in the way I love. Victoria shows us the never-ending techno clubs, all-night spatkaufs (like an off-license), and homely cafes that characterise the city. I made a note of the street the club is in. I shall have to visit it soon.

Image source: berlinale.de