‘A Hidden Life’ Exclusive Trailer: Terrence Malick Returns to ‘Tree of Life’ Greatness
Zack Sharf
This December, Terrence Malick is returning to epic narrative filmmaking in a major way with “.” The historical drama debuted at Cannes to rave reviews, with many hailing the film as Malick’s greatest achievement since his Palme d’Or winner and magnum opus “The Tree of Life.” The latter went on to earn Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. Fox Searchlight was behind the release of “The Tree of Life,” and now the indie powerhouse is back with Malick for “A Hidden Life.”
“A Hidden Life” stars August Diehl in the true story of WWII conscientious objector Franz Jägerstätter, who was imprisoned after refusing to fight for the Third Reich. The supporting cast includes Valerie Pachner, Matthias Schoenaerts, and the late actors Michael Nyqvist and Bruno Ganz.
IndieWire named “A Hidden Life” one of the 10 best titles at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. In his A- review, film critic David Ehrlich raved, “‘A Hidden Life’ is a lucid and profoundly defiant portrait of faith in crisis. It’s an intimate epic about the immense strength required for resistance, and the courage that it takes for one to hold fast to their virtue during a crisis of faith, and in a world that may never reward them for it. It is, without question, the best thing that Malick has made since ‘The Tree of Life.’”
Just how far “A Hidden Life” can go in the upcoming Oscar race remains to be seen, although Fox Searchlight stands a good chance considering how well they pushed “The Tree of Life” into major categories. IndieWire awards editor Anne Thompson wrote at Cannes that Oscar voters “will appreciate the gorgeous production values and timely political message.” The movie was just announced for the Toronto International Film Festival, where it will screen in the Masters section. The slot brings “A Hidden Life” to the upcoming fall film festival season, an important launching pad for potential Oscar contenders.
Fox Searchlight Pictures will open “A Hidden Life” in theaters beginning December 13. Watch the exclusive official trailer for the Terrence Malick drama in the video here.
