Victoria

Victoria follows a young Spanish woman who has just relocated to Berlin seeking a clean slate after trouble back home. She meets a charming local who invites her to spend the night with him, promising adventure and a chance to feel alive in a city that never sleeps. What starts as playful flirtation with his friends quickly dissolves into a web of risk as lines blur between trust and threat. The group dynamic shifts in real time, with loyalties changing as secrets surface and a dangerous plan unfolds. The film concentrates on the senses, letting dialogue breathe and silence speak while the clock seems to tick louder than usual.

Directed by Sebastian Schipper from a script by Olivia Neergaard-Holm and Eike Frederik Schulz, Victoria is an original thriller shot in a single, continuous sequence that achieves a documentary like immediacy. The project fused European talents and drew attention for its ambitious form and compact cast.

Victoria became a touchstone for fans of real time cinema, lauded for letting the Berlin setting feel immediate. Audiences praised Laia Costa's fearless performance and the camera's careful gaze through crowded streets and intimate rooms. The film sparked discussions about long takes and practical effects, encouraging directors to experiment with rhythm and timing.

Critics praised the nerve of the real time structure, the way intimate romance twists into danger without over explaining, and the film's focus on impulse and consequence. The night becomes a crucible for characters who reveal more under strain than they ever would in daylight, exploring themes of chance, belonging in a foreign city, and the cost of getting swept along by attraction.

Victoria drew praise from critics and festival audiences, earning multiple nominations across European circuits. While it did not claim major prizes, the film’s bold premise and Laia Costa's standout performance earned recognition in several categories, cementing the film as a notable example of European genre cinema.