You’ve probably seen the poster. A young woman, face half-hidden by a red mask, eyes burning with a mix of fear and absolute certainty. That’s Luisa. She’s the heart of Julia von Heinz’s 2020 film And Tomorrow the Entire World (originally Und morgen die ganze Welt). It’s a movie that doesn't just sit there. It gets under your skin because it refuses to give you the easy, heroic answers we usually get from political dramas.
Political tension is everywhere now. Honestly, watching this film in 2026 feels even more claustrophobic than it did when it first hit the Venice Film Festival years ago. It’s not just a "German movie." It’s a messy, loud, and deeply uncomfortable look at what happens when "doing the right thing" starts to look a lot like the thing you’re fighting against.
What And Tomorrow the Entire World is Actually About
The plot follows Luisa, a law student from an upper-class background. She’s wealthy. She’s privileged. But she’s also deeply angry about the rise of the far-right in Germany. She joins an Antifa commune, and that’s where the friction starts.
The film isn't a recruitment video. It’s a character study. Luisa is caught between two men who represent two very different ways of resisting. There's Batte, the idealistic one who believes in peaceful protest and community organizing. Then there’s Alfa, played by Noah Saavedra, who is charismatic, reckless, and believes that if the "bad guys" are using violence, you have to hit back harder.
It’s about the rush of the riot. The smell of tear gas. The way your heart hammers when you’re hiding in a van while the police circle around.
Julia von Heinz didn't just pull this story out of thin air. She’s been open about the fact that the film is semi-autobiographical. In the 1990s, she was part of the Antifa movement herself. That’s why the film feels so lived-in. The way they cook communal meals, the constant arguments about "the purity of the cause," and the sheer exhaustion of being at war with your own society—that’s all real.
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The Controversy of the Title
The title itself, And Tomorrow the Entire World, is a direct provocation. It’s a reference to a line from a Nazi marching song: "Today Germany belongs to us, and tomorrow the entire world." By reclaiming this line for a film about anti-fascists, von Heinz is playing a dangerous game. She’s asking if the radical left is becoming a mirror image of the radical right. Does adopting the enemy's tactics—their slogans, their violence, their "us vs. them" mentality—eventually turn you into them? It’s a question that makes people on both sides of the political aisle very, very angry.
Why the Film Ranks So High for Realism
Most political movies feel like they were written by someone who has never actually been to a protest. They make it look cinematic. In this movie, it’s mostly just confusing and dirty.
- The "Black Block" scenes are shot with a handheld urgency that feels like documentary footage.
- You see the internal hierarchy. Even in an "anarchist" collective, there are leaders, egos, and power struggles.
- The legal consequences are real. Luisa is a law student; she knows exactly what she’s throwing away every time she picks up a brick.
There’s a specific scene involving a stolen phone and a hidden GPS tracker. It’s small, but it’s the kind of detail that highlights the paranoia of modern activism. You aren't just fighting people in the streets; you’re fighting an invisible digital net.
Comparing Luisa to Real-Life Figures
People often compare Luisa to real-world activists like Lina E., the German woman who became a symbol for the radical left and was sentenced in a high-profile trial in Dresden. While the film was made before Lina E.'s case dominated the headlines, the parallels are impossible to ignore. Both come from middle-class backgrounds. Both chose a path of militancy.
It raises a point that many critics missed: the film is about class. Luisa can "play" at being a revolutionary because she has a safety net. If things go south, she has a family estate to run back to. Her comrades don't always have that luxury.
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The Visual Language of Resistance
The cinematography by Daniela Knapp is stunning but bleak. There’s a lot of blue and grey. The lighting in the commune is dim, lit by cheap lamps and laptop screens. It captures that feeling of living in a bubble.
When the violence finally erupts, it isn't choreographed like a Marvel movie. It’s clumsy. People trip. They drop things. They get scared and run in the wrong direction. This lack of "coolness" is exactly why And Tomorrow the Entire World stands out. It strips away the glamor of the radical lifestyle and leaves you with the cold reality of a bruise or a broken window.
Critics and Public Reception
When it was released, the film was Germany's official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. It didn't win, but it sparked a massive debate in the German Bundestag. Some politicians argued the film glorified left-wing extremism. Others argued it was a necessary mirror for a country seeing a resurgence of neo-Nazi activity.
The truth is somewhere in the middle. The film doesn't give Luisa a "happily ever after." It leaves her in a place of moral ambiguity.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Film
A lot of viewers go into this expecting a "good guys vs. bad guys" story. If you’re looking for a film where the Antifa group are perfect heroes who save the day, you’ll be disappointed.
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And Tomorrow the Entire World is actually a critique of the "echo chamber."
It shows how easy it is to lose your humanity when you spend all your time with people who only agree with you. You start to see the world in black and white. You stop talking and start hitting. The film suggests that while the threat of the far-right is very real and very dangerous, the response to it can also lead down a dark path if there’s no room for empathy or nuance.
Expert Insights on the German Context
To really understand this movie, you have to understand the German concept of Vergangenheitsbewältigung—struggling to come to terms with the past. Modern Germany is built on the idea of "Never Again."
When characters like Luisa see the AFD (Alternative for Germany) gaining power, they aren't just seeing a political party they dislike. They are seeing the ghosts of 1933. This historical weight is what drives the intensity of the film. It’s not just a hobby for these kids; they genuinely believe they are the last line of defense against a repeat of the 20th century's greatest horrors.
Actionable Takeaways for Viewers
If you’re planning to watch or analyze this film, keep these points in mind:
- Look at the hands. Julia von Heinz often focuses the camera on what the characters are doing with their hands—fidgeting, gripping weapons, or holding each other. It’s a recurring motif for their loss of control.
- Research the "Stammheim" references. There are several subtle nods to the Red Army Faction (RAF) and the German Autumn of 1977. Understanding that history adds layers to the tension.
- Watch the parents. The scenes where Luisa goes home for her father’s birthday are some of the most telling. The disconnect between her two lives is where the real drama lies.
- Question the ending. The final shot is intentionally divisive. Ask yourself if Luisa has found her purpose or if she’s just lost herself.
And Tomorrow the Entire World isn't an easy watch. It’s not meant to be. It’s a film that demands you take a stand, then immediately makes you question why you took it. In a world that’s increasingly polarized, that kind of discomfort is probably exactly what we need.
To get the most out of the experience, watch it alongside documentaries about the 1968 student movements in Europe. The cycle of radicalization isn't new, but this film shows exactly how it feels in the 21st century. Pay attention to the sound design—the ringing in the ears after an explosion, the muffled shouts. It’s designed to make you feel as disoriented as Luisa.