Stella. A Life.: Kilian Riedhof’s biopic tells the story of Stella Goldschlag, a young Jewish woman, and her life in Berlin during World War II. Lively, ambitious, and more than a bit sheltered, she takes her will to survive a few steps too far when the Jewish persecution by the state intensifies. Paula Beer plays the protagonist in a vibrant performance: the character is complex but increasingly unlikable, despite her obvious charm; she also has a credible singing voice. Other performances don’t quite reach the same level: Bekim Latifi is one-noted as the charming, rascally co-conspirator; Katja Riemann and Lukas Miko are OK as her mother and father, respectively. The film’s period recreation is effective but unremarkable: most of the focus is on costume designer Thomas Oláh’s work. Likewise, cinematographer Benedict Neuenfels’s work is fine but far from memorable. Editor Andrea Mertens gives the film a nice pace, but (and this may not be on the editor) it ends too suddenly.