Seven young women are forced into a role which they would not have chosen in war-time Germany in 1943. A sombre premise is matched in tone and visuals in The Tasters, opening this week in UK and Irish cinemas.
Despite having watched a large number of German language films set in, or directly after, World War II, The Tasters has managed to present a tiny slice of events which had not crossed my mind previously. As the film is from Rosella Postorino’s novel At the Wolf’s Table which is itself inspired by the revelations of survivor Margot Wölk, one can only assume that there is some element of truth to the setting, which is what makes this film both chilling and intriguing.
The Tasters focusses on a group of seven women living close to one of Hitler’s wartime hideouts in Prussia in 1943. A military vehicle arrives at each of their houses one day, and they are cordially ‘invited’ to step inside. On arrival at their destination they are submitted to an array of medical examinations, and pronounced healthy. In times of hunger and deprivation in rural Prussia, they are delighted to be given a robust meal to eat, but only afterwards told that they have been selected to be the testers of the Führer’s food; the danger of him being assassinated also stretches to poison in his meals so he will not eat anything which has not been pre-tasted.
Refusing to participate would mark them out as not being loyal to the cause, and also deprive them of a financial reward which would ease the situation for their families.
As well as the terror of knowing that every meal they sit down to could be their last, each of the women has her own difficulties outside of the coerced role to deal with, and this forges bonds between them that none of them would have foreseen. We come to understand the desperation, fear and sadness of this group of women through Rosa Sauer (Elisa Schlott), a young woman who has returned from the devastation in Berlin to the farmstead of her in-laws, while her husband is still away fighting at the Eastern front.
Director Silvio Soldini keeps the visuals muted, with a colour palette devoid of anything bright – even sections shot outdoors are overcast and grey. Scenes which may have contained highly emotional moments are subdued, to avoid being overheard or discovered. Once the initial shock of realising what the women’s role is has happened, that too seems to be underplayed. The film may have been better served by leaning more into the horrific aspect of the situation, but it almost feels as though Soldini is being a little too respectful to the story.
Elisa Schlott gives a good performance as Rosa, and the stern commandant Albert Ziegler is wonderfully embodied by Max Riemelt, yet I’m not sure if some of his dialogue was supposed to make us feel empathetic towards him (if so, it didn’t work and is a definite mis-step in attempting to humanise a Nazi officer).
The kernel of the story, what the women experienced during their time as enforced food tasters, is certainly intriguing and chilling, but I remain to be convinced that his translated effectively throughout the entire film. But I did finish the screening more educated than previously.
The Tasters is released in UK and Irish cinemas on 13th March 2026.
Seven young women are forced into a role which they would not have chosen in war-time Germany in 1943. A sombre premise is matched in tone and visuals in The Tasters, opening this week in UK and Irish cinemas.
Despite having watched a large number of German language films set in, or directly after, World War II, The Tasters has managed to present a tiny slice of events which had not crossed my mind previously. As the film is from Rosella Postorino’s novel At the Wolf’s Table which is itself inspired by the revelations of survivor Margot Wölk, one can only assume that there is some element of truth to the setting, which is what makes this film both chilling and intriguing.
The Tasters focusses on a group of seven women living close to one of Hitler’s wartime hideouts in Prussia in 1943. A military vehicle arrives at each of their houses one day, and they are cordially ‘invited’ to step inside. On arrival at their destination they are submitted to an array of medical examinations, and pronounced healthy. In times of hunger and deprivation in rural Prussia, they are delighted to be given a robust meal to eat, but only afterwards told that they have been selected to be the testers of the Führer’s food; the danger of him being assassinated also stretches to poison in his meals so he will not eat anything which has not been pre-tasted.
Refusing to participate would mark them out as not being loyal to the cause, and also deprive them of a financial reward which would ease the situation for their families.
As well as the terror of knowing that every meal they sit down to could be their last, each of the women has her own difficulties outside of the coerced role to deal with, and this forges bonds between them that none of them would have foreseen. We come to understand the desperation, fear and sadness of this group of women through Rosa Sauer (Elisa Schlott), a young woman who has returned from the devastation in Berlin to the farmstead of her in-laws, while her husband is still away fighting at the Eastern front.
Director Silvio Soldini keeps the visuals muted, with a colour palette devoid of anything bright – even sections shot outdoors are overcast and grey. Scenes which may have contained highly emotional moments are subdued, to avoid being overheard or discovered. Once the initial shock of realising what the women’s role is has happened, that too seems to be underplayed. The film may have been better served by leaning more into the horrific aspect of the situation, but it almost feels as though Soldini is being a little too respectful to the story.
Elisa Schlott gives a good performance as Rosa, and the stern commandant Albert Ziegler is wonderfully embodied by Max Riemelt, yet I’m not sure if some of his dialogue was supposed to make us feel empathetic towards him (if so, it didn’t work and is a definite mis-step in attempting to humanise a Nazi officer).
The kernel of the story, what the women experienced during their time as enforced food tasters, is certainly intriguing and chilling, but I remain to be convinced that his translated effectively throughout the entire film. But I did finish the screening more educated than previously.
The Tasters is released in UK and Irish cinemas on 13th March 2026.
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