‘Miroirs No. 3’ Trailer – Paula Beer Stars in Christian Petzold’s German Gothic Fairytale

Set in rural Germany, Christian Petzold’s haunting drama Miroirs No. 3, stars longtime muse Paula Beer as a piano student, who after surviving a car crash, is taken in by a local family, but as she grows closer to them, she begins to uncover ghosts of the past that cannot be ignored.

Also starring in the film are Barbara Auer, Matthias Brandt, and Enno Trebs

Miroirs No. 3 premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Directors’ Fortnight section, followed by 2025 AFI Fest. It is slated to be released in the US, opening at Film at Lincoln Center and IFC Center in New York, and Laemmle Royal in LA on March 20, 2026.

In Miroirs No. 3, young piano student Laura (Paula Beer) survives a devastating car accident that kills her boyfriend, leaving her physically unharmed but emotionally adrift. Wandering into the countryside, she is taken in by Betty (Barbara Auer), a neighbor who witnessed the crash and offers her shelter, comfort, and a fragile sense of belonging. As Laura becomes further enmeshed in the domestic life of Betty’s home, joining Betty’s estranged husband Richard and their son Max, what appears to be a chance act of kindness gradually reveals unspoken histories, hidden grief, and personal secrets that blur the line between compassion and intrusion.

Director Christian Petzold (Phoenix, Transit) spins a modern gothic fairytale about the lies we tell ourselves and the strange ways that grief, connection, and humanity bind and sustain us.

Christian Petzold has spoken about the idea behind Miroirs No. 3, saying, “The idea for this film came about during the filming of Afire, when we shot the scene at the table outside, with the poem by Heinrich Heine. Somehow, we felt a sense of lightness that day, but also some pressure, because a lot happens while Paula recites the poem.”

He added, “And that’s where the idea arose, at that table: There is a young woman who meets a devastated family that through her is put back together again. That was the first metaphor.”

Early reviews have been largely positive, with many critics praising the film’s understated power and the collaborative synergy between Petzold and Paula Beer. In a detailed review, Collider noted that Miroirs No. 3 represents “one of the best director and actor collaborations,” writing, “Of course, a key element of what makes Miroirs No. 3 this effective is that Petzold is working with two of his best stars in Beer and Auer. Beer arguably has the more difficult task here, as she’s closed off and often quiet, never revealing too much about where she came from or who she is.”

Watch the official trailer for Miroirs No. 3 above.