I am grateful that the movie Victoria brought me back to blogging. During a long journey, I asked my boyfriend, “Can you recommend a movie?" At the time, I was reading a book, one about things to consider before marriage. But since I had already finished half of it in a few days, I didn’t want to go back to it.

My boyfriend recommended the German film Victoria. However, I have to admit that finding the movie wasn’t easy for me. So, I completely trust his taste in movies. Finally, I managed to find it with Turkish subtitles and started watching.

My boyfriend reassured me by saying, “It has a good ending.” So, I began watching with ease. However, as the film progressed, I had a feeling that it might surprise me in unexpected ways. I won’t go into too much detail to avoid spoilers, but there’s so much I want to talk about regarding this movie.

Not long ago, I watched Schindler’s List, and its impact followed me into my dreams. Movies usually affect me deeply and echo in my subconscious. So, I assumed that Victoria wouldn’t be as heavy as Schindler’s List, but I decided to give it a chance. I am happy for that.

This is a film that should be watched on a big screen, as it was shot in a single take for two hours in the night, until the morning. Still, I didn’t follow this recommendation. My journey was long, I was exhausted, and I had no choice but to watch it on my phone’s small screen. But despite that, the movie stayed with me, it haunted my thoughts the next day and even found its way into my dreams. Simply put, it stole my heart.

The First 40 Minutes

The movie started a bit slow for me, probably because I don’t consider myself an expert film critic. I don’t think I fully grasped its depth. Yet, something about the film pulled me in. I briefly thought about watching the trailer for a small spoiler, but then I realized that would kill the excitement. The trailer gives away too much, so if you can, watch it without any prior knowledge.

During these first 40 minutes, we witness Victoria meeting four people.

They are young men who were denied entry to a bar: Sonne, Blinker, Boxer, and Fuß. At first, they give off a dangerous vibe. However, contrary to expectations, Victoria talked with them and starts following them. Throughout the film, because she doesn’t speak German, she remains somewhat of an outsider to their conversations, yet she still becomes part of their group in her own way.

At this point, it’s impossible not to question, “Why did she go with them?” Actually, there are a few reasons:

Victoria is drunk.
While trying to connect with the bartender, we sense that she is actually a very lonely person.
The four young men treat her warmly and invite her into their group, offering her something she seems to be searching for: a way to escape her loneliness, even if just for a while.

This is a psychological state that someone who doesn’t drink alcohol might not fully understand. Victoria doesn’t completely trust these people, but loneliness + alcohol makes her accept their invitation.

Since the movie was filmed in a continuous single shot, it feels as if you are experiencing everything firsthand. The characters first go to a market to buy some things and then spend time on a rooftop. We see Victoria gradually adapting to the group, even becoming an equal among them at times. For example, when she steals a pack of peanuts from the store or risky actions on the roof, it reveals her own rebellious side.

Later, the group's leader, Sonne, drops Victoria off at the café where she works. Here, we learn that she has been playing the piano since she was a child. At that moment, we realize that her past failures are still buried deep within her.

She works for just 4 euros an hour and has only been in Berlin for three months. Unlike the other members of the group, she is not a thief, an addict, or a dangerous person, but it’s also clear that she doesn’t have a particularly hopeful life. This is where she begins to bond with them and emotionally connect with Sonne.

The Depth and Emotional Side of the Film

One of the most striking characters in the film is Boxer. Having been to prison before, he has a rough past and acts with a survival mindset. In fact, because of Boxer, Victoria is forced to participate in a bank robbery.

As the robbery unfolds, we discover that Blinker is actually an immigrant when he suddenly speaks Turkish at the entrance of a bar. When they said earlier, “We are real Berliners,” we now understand. At first, it might have just seemed like something they casually said as cool twenty-somethings, but in this moment, it becomes clear that their struggle with belonging runs much deeper. Before the robbery, Blinker takes cocaine and asks for more, revealing that he is also an addict, yet another lost cause in a way.

Even though the first 40 minutes felt slow for me, I stuck with it, and soon enough, the film completely captivated me. I don’t usually get easily affected by movies, but I truly loved this one.

First reason: It turned out to be the exact opposite of what I expected, yet I held onto hope that it would have a good ending.
Second reason: The constant flow of events kept me so excited, and as a foreigner in Germany, I definitely found something deeply relatable.
Third and most important reason: The acting was absolutely incredible!

Throughout the movie, I kept questioning time. “Why isn’t the sun rising?”, “Why did the bank open so early?” These questions only proved how deeply I was immersed in the film’s atmosphere. However, in Germany, during winter, daylight doesn’t break until around 8 AM, which explains the timing.

Victoria’s decisions strongly align with the saying, “Any decision made after 2 AM is rarely a good one.”

At first, I thought the group was full of bad people. But as time passed, I realized they were all just searching for something, perhaps a sense of belonging. Young people, living in Berlin, from different backgrounds, yet stuck in the same dead-end...

By the end of the film, I was emotionally shaken. I was too sleep-deprived to cry properly, but it left a deep mark on me. The performance of the lead actress, the single-shot cinematography, and the inner worlds of the characters were the most impactful elements for me.

Would I Watch It Again?

Probably, yes! Maybe a few years later, on a bigger screen, or even with my family. Victoria turned out to be far more powerful than I expected and became an unforgettable experience for me.

"Abiii, kusura bakma!"

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