Based on a story by Anna Seghers, this is an extraordinary film by Christian Petzold with great performances.
German film, Transit, starring Franz Rogowski and Paula Beer, is now on MUBI, from the director of Barbara and Phoenix, Christian Petzold. The film forms part of what its director calls his “love in the time of oppressive systems trilogy.” Transit continues the themes of confused identities, love and betrayal in the midst of war that also pervades in Barbara and Phoenix.
Transit opens in Paris. A man named Georg is sat at a café counter when another man enters and asks why he is still in the city. They are both German and must flee the city before being found by the police. The unnamed man is a journalist, and in danger. He asks Georg to deliver two letters to a writer friend of his, named Weidel, in exchange for money.
Georg arrives too late at the hotel. Weidel has committed suicide. He leaves with Weidel’s manuscript, but on his way back, the café is being raided by police, and the journalist who gave him Weidel’s letters is being arrested. Georg runs away from the police, but back at the place he is staying, he is told he must flee to the south of France with a wounded friend Heinz.
They board a train, and on the long journey to the south, Georg reads Weidel’s novel and his two letters.
