It's October 1918. In Alsace, a French border town of the German empire, two very different people stumble upon a farm house. Luise, an unassuming young woman, whose mother is recently deceased and now maintains the farm herself, shows remarkable strength as she takes in a German soldier who's being hunted for the killing of a superior officer and French renegade woman fleeing to holland. So Luise is now harbouring two fugitives, and is remarkably neutral to both, as is the film itself - one of it's strengths.
There is a nice moment which metaphorically sums up Luise's stance- she sees a fox taking her chickens, she has a gun in hand, it's an easy shot - but she doesn't take it. She has the right to, but I believe she believes that we are all predators in some way - its a matter of perspective - so it is not her place to make the decision.
The relationship that the three share forms the basis of the story. There is a hint of lesbian attraction from the start, a theme which returns later. It occurs not out of lust, but out of need for companionship and exploration of otherwise unconsidered possibilities. The two endeavour to find some normality throughout this wickedly oppressive time. I thiught that the film seems to be making a case for the innocent, neutral parties who get caught up during a war, and often suffer the most, and for the longest.
After a menacing feeling to the opening, the film becomes a very even handed triple character study. The soldier is the only one who can genuinely be disliked come the end, and it was highly unlikely the three were all going to survive, but I genuinely couldn't predict who of them would die and how.
It was an exceedingly accomplished film which, all things considered, I think is the best of the CIFF shortlist I have seen this year. It was sensual, graphic and tense at different times with very accomplished performances. The music was especially good and used to good effect without being distracting.
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