Verein allerArt: LeinwandLounge: Silent Friend

Germany / Hungary / France 2025, 147 min, German-English version with subtitles.
Director: Ildikó Enyedi
Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Luna Wedler, Sylvester Groth, Léa Seydoux

In a botanical garden of an old university town in Germany stands a mighty ginkgo tree. For over a hundred years, it has been a silent witness to three life stories that unfold across generations. In 2020, a neuroscientist (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) from Hong Kong begins an unexpected experiment with the tree while exploring the origin of consciousness in infants. In 1972, a young student (Enzo Brumm) is deeply shaped by a quiet encounter with a geranium. In 1908, the university's first female student (Luna Wedler) discovers hidden structures in the plant kingdom with the help of photography – patterns that suggest a deeper order. Three tentative approaches, each firmly rooted in its own temporal context. What connects them is a quiet force: the persistent, mysterious workings of nature.

“Almost too beautiful to be true.” (FAZ online)
“‘Silent Friend’ is a film of monumental dimension, yet it feels light and natural. A masterpiece.” (filmstarts.de)
“Truly stunning and extraordinary.” (Der Spiegel)
“The film conjures a sensual relationship between man and nature. A captivating film poem.” (Frankfurter Rundschau)
“It is more than just a film about nature: It is a film about our humanity, about our fragility and our longing to belong somewhere.” (kino-zeit.de)

Detailed review at: https://www.film-netz.com/post/silent-friend-filmrezension-ildik%C3%B3-enyedi-ginkgobaum
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4w3eB7s_Mk
Distributor: Polyfilm Distribution