German director Robert Schwentke has been making a name for himself in Hollywood for some time now, working on blockbusters with budgets that often exceed $100 million. But his new film The Captain—shot in black and white in his country of origin—shows him in an entirely new light. He isn’t afraid to tackle difficult subjects, to take artistic risks and open up difficult discussions. He’s made a film that has the potential to reopen old wounds. The action takes place in the final weeks of World War II. A young German soldier, presumed to be a deserter, is forced to run for his life. As luck would have it, he comes across the uniform of a high-ranking Luftwaffe captain in an abandoned car. His new identity means more than just safety—it’s a chance to create a whole new story for himself. He goes from being a traitor to an authority figure who can decide on a whim whether someone lives or dies. Robert Schwentke’s feature is based on the true story of Wehrmacht corporal Wille Herold. It’s a story of moral corruption and the seductive draw of power—and an interesting diagnosis of what led to World War II in the first place.