Sandra Hüller has had a memorable year, from standout supporting turns in “Project Hail Mary” and “Digger” to leading the contemplative “Fatherland.” But her indisputable best performance of 2026 is in “Rose,” where she plays the titular character. In this transformative role, Hüller assumes the guise and mannerisms of a man to forge an independent life. Her performance is subtle and subdued, but Hüller’s eyes and body language tell stories that her dialogue may not. You can feel how satisfying she finds her freedom without her saying a word. When the world she has built for herself is threatened, Hüller roars to action with ferocious line deliveries that remind you why she is one of the most reliable actresses working today. It is a staggering performance that will go down as one of the best of the year.
The raves for Hüller’s performance here have been resounding since the premiere of “Rose” at Berlinale. In fact, Hüller even won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance. Since then, at every subsequent festival the film has played at, her buzz has steadily grown. Following the announcement that “Obsession” will campaign as a Comedy/Musical at the Golden Globes, the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama category is wide open. She will face competition from actresses like Virginie Efira in “All of a Sudden,” Ruth Madeley in “Being Heumann,” and Jeon Do-yeon in “Possible Love.” Still, she has a leg up as a previous Golden Globe nominee with arguably the showiest performance of the bunch. A win in this category would both lock in her Oscar nomination and give “Rose” some much-needed visibility.
The film is getting its fair share of praise; it currently sits at an 88 on Metacritic. And at Telluride Film Festival, the film was one of the top-rated movies by audiences. It received an average rating of 4.39 at the People’s Telluride, ranking it 4th among all the films that played there this year. It even beat bona fide crowdpleasers like “Club Kid” and “The Debut” in this poll. Given the love “Rose” is currently receiving, if Hüller solidifies herself in the Best Actress race, could her film become a broader Oscar contender?
International Feature Film is a stacked category; you could make a strong five solely from Cannes premieres. “La Bola Negra,” “All of a Sudden,” “Fjord,” “Minotaur,” “Fatherland,” “Coward,” and “The Dreamed Adventure” were all Cannes winners that were submitted by their respective countries. From Venice, there is “Possible Love,” Lee Chang-dong’s acclaimed new feature, and Golden Lion winner “Woman Unknown.” Yet there is still a path for “Rose” to receive a nomination in this category. Films like “The Dreamed Adventure,” “Woman Unknown,” “Coward,” and even “Fatherland” feel destined to fall off as award contenders because they lack prospects outside of International Feature. Save a few cinematography mentions for “Fatherland”; it is unlikely any of these films will be recognized by major awards bodies, which could kneecap their ability to stay in the conversation. “Minotaur” might have more passion than the aforementioned films and could snag top wins at trifecta, but it similarly does not seem likely to go the distance and secure any mentions outside of International Feature at precursors. “Rose” could very well leapfrog these films by virtue of having Sandra Hüller consistently be present at awards. A Golden Globe win for her would certainly help its case, but simply hearing her name and film called out during every Best Actress category would be a great boon.
Another key category “Rose” could surprise in is Best Makeup & Hairstyling. Not only does this branch tend to appreciate the feats of international films more than the average Oscar voter, but “Rose’s” makeup work is entirely on Sandra Hüller, the film’s most visible aspect. In fact, the makeup helps Hüller transform so seamlessly into her character. From the scarring to the perpetual smirk, the makeup in “Rose” is essential to the magic trick Hüller pulls off in her performance. The film is also stunningly captured in black-and-white cinematography, which could appeal to that branch considering their tastes.
From sheer acclaim and passion alone, it is clear that Sandra Hüller is a Best Actress contender for “Rose.” But because the film also has rave reviews and standout technical aspects, it could ride on Hüller’s buzz and snag other Oscar nominations along the way.
What do you think of “Rose’s” Oscar chances? Please let us know in the comments section below and on Next Best Picture’s X account, and check out Next Best Picture’s latest Oscar predictions here.
