​The Undine Myth
“If you leave me, I’ll have to kill you.”

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In fact, that single sentence from Undine at the beginning of the film is enough for us to understand who she is.

Undine is a figure from medieval German mythology, known as a water nymph. Etymologically, the word stems from the Latin unda, meaning “wave” or “water.” The story became widely known through the 1811 novel by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. At the heart of the myth is a water spirit who desires to marry a human, as only then can she possess a soul. However, if he proves unfaithful, she must kill him.

The relationships between Undine and her human lovers are often used in stories to illustrate the challenges and differences between supernatural and human realms. Nearly every adaptation of this myth reflects themes of love, fidelity, and the complexity of identity. Knowing the meaning behind the film’s title and the mythology it draws from helps us emotionally connect with its atmosphere from the very beginning.

 

A Feminist Lens
One of the most striking aspects of the film is how it reframes the Undine myth, which has traditionally been told through a male perspective. As director Petzold himself explains, he aimed to modernize the story of the water nymph who emerges naked from the lake, enters a man’s life, and is eventually discarded, this time from a woman’s point of view.

Moreover, mermaids and water spirits have long been fetishized figures in male fantasies. They are often depicted as seductive and deadly, evoking both attraction and fear. As beings who are neither fully human nor entirely non-human, they are portrayed as "the Other." This portrayal parallels the thinking of feminist theorist Simone de Beauvoir. In The Second Sex, Beauvoir argues that in modern culture, women are defined in relation to men as the "Other" to the male subject. She asserts that redefining this dynamic is essential for women’s liberation. In this sense, Petzold symbolically embeds this theory into Undine’s “otherness,” once again proving his skill at crafting deep female characters.

 

Symbolic Storytelling
Rather than relying on straightforward storytelling, the film uses symbolic parallels and motifs such as Christoph’s leg becoming trapped shortly after the underwater statue’s leg is broken. Even the seemingly mundane urban narratives carry deeper meaning. Undine gives lectures on the urban development of Berlin. A city that has been torn down, rebuilt, fractured, and eventually reunited... This choice of profession is far from arbitrary. It mirrors her own story, and her encounter with Christoph after being left by her previous lover is no coincidence either.

As she studies for a presentation while simultaneously losing herself in Christoph’s kiss, Undine’s monologue about Berlin architecture shifts from technical jargon to a moment of emotional vulnerability. It becomes clear that she, too, struggles to bridge the gap between the old and the new, just like the city she describes.

Another example of how neither Undine’s profession nor Berlin’s setting is random is found in the etymology of “Berlin” and its connection to Undine’s world. The name is believed to come from the Slavic word berl, meaning “swamp” or “wetland”, very fitting, since the city was built on marshland. Undine’s job is to explain the development of this city built on top of her natural habitat. But she isn’t just recounting its progress; she’s detailing its transformation while remaining trapped in her own curse. Though the film may appear to be about change on the surface, with Undine's new relationship and her lectures repetitive visuals like her view from the office window hint at a more fatalistic worldview beneath the waves.

One of the recurring symbols in the film is the image of windows. In film theory, windows often represent entrapment or a character’s feeling of being stuck, and in Undine, they express her inability to escape from her curse. At the same time, windows can symbolize transitions like growth, change, or new beginnings. This dual meaning also reflects the shift in her life upon meeting Christoph. In a film that frequently showcases Berlin’s urban landscape, buildings and man-made structures stand in contrast to Undine’s ever-changing, fluid nature, symbolizing the permanence of human civilization and constructed realities.

 

Feeling Over Thinking
What makes this film truly beautiful is the undeniable chemistry between Undine and Christoph, two people from seemingly different worlds. While some of this chemistry is likely due to the fact that the actors had previously worked together in Transit, the key lies in Petzold’s choice to rely on visuals over long, heavy dialogue. Rather than trying to convince us of their love through constant declarations, the film invites us to believe in their bond through a glance, a wine stain that never fades, or Christoph running alongside Undine’s train. These subtle yet powerful moments help us believe in their love. It’s also worth crediting Hans Fromm, Petzold’s long-time cinematographer, whose stunning underwater shots make the film a visual feast.

Before I finish, I want to mention the bridge scene. This one holds the highest emotional weight for me and has lingered in my mind for days. While walking on a bridge with Christoph, Undine sees her former lover and turns her head. That glance speaks volumes. It contrasts Berlin’s centuries-long transformation with the unchanging nature of myths and emotions.

“Your heartbeat skipped for a moment,” Christoph says later, recalling that moment.
“Maybe it did,” Undine replies. “But it started beating again under your hand.”

A heartwarming reply but one that might come too late. Or does it? Does Christoph really say this to her over the phone? At this point, we’re no longer sure what is real and what is imagined. The film gradually blurs the line between fairy tale and reality until that boundary completely dissolves, nudging us away from analysis and toward emotional experience.

What elevates Undine beyond an ordinary romance or drama isn’t just its mythological foundation but also the ever-growing tension and mystery that intensify toward the end. The final twenty minutes, almost impossible to predict, have viewers on the edge of their seats. Even though we suspect the story won’t end happily, its bittersweet finale lingers; not because we want to dissect it logically, but because its emotional weight is impossible to shake off.