The Technicalities
Unlike films like Birdman (2014) or 1917 (2019), which used hidden digital edits to create the illusion of a single frame, Victoria was filmed in one genuine, unbroken 138-minute shot with no hidden cuts or digital stitching. Cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen carried a handheld Canon C300 camera, covering around 4 miles on foot, in vehicles and on rooftops.
Director Sebastian Schipper and Eike Frederik Schultz wrote a 'barebones' 12-page script with virtually no written dialogue, only character motivations, plot beats and location transitions. Every line spoken across the 2 hours and 18 minutes was entirely improvised by Laia Costa, Frederick Lau and the cast in real time.
The production budget allowed for three full takes on three separate nights between 4.30am and 7am. During the first take, apparently everyone was too cautious and stiff! Schipper described it as boring! Second attempt and the cast 'overcorrected', becoming far too aggressive and chaotic, the director reported, and the narrative completely fell apart mid-way through. Before the third attempt, Schipper told the team that if the final attempt didn't work, the project would have to be re-edited into a standard multi-cut film. This seemed to do the trick as the third take delivered the ideal balance of natural tension and tight pacing.
Sound recordist Matthias Lempert hid in the back of vehicles, under blankets and behind pillars while monitoring over 15 wireless microphones and hidden ambient mics. Lighting cues were handled by technicians stationed inside buildings or running just out of the frame ahead of the camera operator to switch on street lights or interior lamps. When the characters got into cars, Grøvlen climbed into the back seat or passenger side without stopping the recording. Assistant directors directed real-world traffic two blocks ahead using walkie-talkies to ensure clear roads for the driving sequences. Over 150 extras had to be stationed across the Berlin neighbourhood, cued precisely as Grøvlen walked past!
Grøvlen operated the heavy camera rig entirely handheld without a Steadicam rig to allow maximum mobility (such as climbing up narrow fire escapes and entering tight vehicles). By the end of the 138-minute run, he was reportedly near physical exhaustion, but the raw, organic camera movement matches the escalating panic of the characters on screen. Schipper was so grateful for Grøvlen's massive contribution that he granted him co-top billing alongside the director on the film's title card.
The Film (with Spoilers - important to know, given the above, but watch it first if you prefer)!
Victoria, a young Spanish expat living in Berlin, leaves an underground dance club during the night. Lonely and unable to speak much German, she meets a charming local guy named Sonne (Frederick Lau) and his three friends, Blinker, Boxer and Fuss. They introduce themselves as "real Berliners" and invite her to hang out with them. Despite warning signs such as stealing beer and breaking into a building's rooftop, Victoria accompanies them, drawn to Sonne. When the group splits up, Sonne walks Victoria to the café where she works. Inside, she plays a virtuosic rendition of Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz on the café piano. She reveals that she trained her entire life to become a professional concert pianist, but was recently dropped by her conservatoire - leaving her directionless and isolated in Berlin. (Incidentally, apparently, prior to shooting, a music student named Yi-Ting Chen recorded the piano performance which was then piped into the café through a hidden music box/speaker placed behind the piano.)
Their romantic moment is interrupted when the rest of the group arrives in panic. Boxer (Franz Rogowski) owes protection money to a dangerous gangster named Andi, who protected him while he was in prison. Andi demands that Boxer and his crew rob a bank that very morning to clear the debt. However, Fuss is heavily intoxicated and passed out in the back of a stolen car. Lacking a fourth person to serve as the getaway driver, Sonne asks Victoria to step in. Thrilled by the danger and her growing connection to Sonne, she agrees. They meet Andi, who arms them with guns and drugs. Victoria drives the crew to the targeted bank, where they execute a chaotic robbery and escape with around €50,000.
Adrenaline-fueled by their success, the group returns to the club to celebrate and dance in high spirits. However, their celebration turns to terror when they realise they left the stolen car parked near the bank with the unconscious Fuss inside. Returning to the scene, they discover police cars surrounding the area and Fuss missing. The police spot the group, leading to a frantic foot chase through a quiet residential neighbourhood. Boxed into an apartment complex courtyard, a violent shootout ensues. Boxer stays behind to shoot at the police, sacrificing himself so the others can escape. Shortly after, Blinker is shot and fatally wounded.
Only Victoria and Sonne escape. In a panic, Victoria sneaks into a apartment building, briefly uses a stranger's baby as a disguise to walk past patrolling police and gets them both clear of the crime scene. They make it to a nearby luxury hotel, where Victoria books a room using stolen cash. Once inside the room, Victoria discovers that Sonne was shot in the stomach during the crossfire and has been hiding a severe wound. As she desperately tries to call an ambulance, Sonne dies on the hotel bed, telling her to keep the money for herself. Devastated and crying, Victoria collects herself, takes the bag full of cash and walks out of the hotel into the breaking Berlin daylight alone as the real-time continuous camera shot finally ends.
Verdict
Every detail - from the technical breakdown of the 138-minute continuous take to the 12-page skeleton script and three-take shoot - highlights the immense planning, flexibility and resource management required to pull this off. Watching the film brings a real appreciation for the frantic energy created by the improvisation, handheld camera work and real-time progression from pre-dawn darkness to morning daylight. The team does a brilliant job telling such a complex story in an ambitious way, with the director bringing out the absolute best in the cast - particularly Laia Costa in the lead. It is well worth watching to appreciate the technical achievement, but it stands on its own as an engaging, dark, moving and at times harrowing tale. You can catch it on various streaming services in the UK.
