Kati – Eine Kür, die bleibt concentrates on Katarina Witt's return to Olympic competition rather than trying to cover every part of her life. The sporting comeback provides a way into questions of identity and belonging after German reunification.
Lavinia Nowak makes Witt's divided feelings convincing. The performance is more than a physical resemblance. It gives the athlete's determination an emotional foundation, including the need to find a place within a country that has changed around her.
Dagmar Manzel is particularly strong as trainer Jutta Müller. Discipline and a nearly military strictness coexist with the importance of a maternal figure. The relationship between the women gives the story much of its weight.
The sporting challenge is only one part of the conflict. Both women must negotiate the consequences of their past and the expectations of a new society. That wider perspective makes the comeback interesting beyond the question of performance on the ice.
Michaela Kezele handles the emotional tensions effectively. Light, shadows and movement give the skating sequences visual depth. Those scenes express internal conflict as well as physical skill, linking the film's appearance to its main concerns.
Kati is a convincing drama about political change, identity and the strength of a complicated relationship. Its two central performances are outstanding. An interest in Witt helps, but the emotional substance gives the film an appeal beyond an audience already familiar with her achievements.