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4 clusters · 11 sources · 42 days · First seen · Last updated

Release of Ildikó Enyedi film Silent Friend

Overview

The film ‘Silent Friend’, directed by Ildikó Enyedi, explores the connection between humanity and nature through three interconnected narratives spanning over a century. The stories are centered around a ginkgo biloba tree located in the botanical garden of the University of Marburg, Germany.

The timeline begins in 1908, following Grete, one of the university’s first female students, as she navigates gender discrimination and discovers universal patterns through photography. The second era in 1972 follows Hannes, a student who connects with nature through the observation of a geranium. The final segment in 2020 features neuroscientist Tony Wong, played by Tony Leung Chiu-wai, who travels from Hong Kong to study cognitive development but shifts his research toward the ginkgo tree due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Filmed in locations including Marburg and Cologne, the production features an international cast including Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Léa Seydoux, and Luna Wedler. Léa Seydoux portrays a scientist working in a Paris botanical garden.

Described as an ‘intellectual mystery’ and a ‘poetic, sensory experience’, the film has received significant critical acclaim. It won six awards at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, including the FIPRESCI prize, the International Critics' Week award, and the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Newcomer Luna Wedler. Additional honors include the Silver Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival and the Sloan Science on Screen Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Mimosa Films has released teaser materials, and the film is scheduled for a nationwide release in Japan on December 4, 2026. An official trailer has since been released.

Entities

Ildikó Enyedi · Tony Leung · Léa Seydoux · Tony Leung Chiu-wai · Cologne

Timeline

  1. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Tony Leung stars in ‘Silent Friend’, FIPRESCI Prize winner at Venice

    The trailer for ‘Silent Friend’, starring Tony Leung and Léa Seydoux, has been released following its FIPRESCI Prize win at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.

  2. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Tony Leung stars in ‘Silent Friend’ directed by Ildikó Enyedi

    Director Ildikó Enyedi and star Tony Leung team up for ‘Silent Friend,’ an intellectual mystery about human-plant connection, set for release in Japan on December 4, 2026.

  3. [CULTURE] 3 sources
    Ildikó Enyedi film Silent Friend shot in Germany

    Director Ildikó Enyedi’s film ‘Silent Friend’ uses a ginkgo biloba tree in Germany to weave together three stories of human connection to nature across the years 1908, 1972, and 2020.

  4. [CULTURE] 4 sources
    Silent Friend film explores a century of history via a Marburg botanical garden

    Ildikó Enyedi’s film ‘Silent Friend’ weaves three stories across 1908, 1972, and 2020, linked by a ginkgo tree in Marburg, Germany. It features Tony Leung Chiu-wai and won awards at the Venice Film Festival.

Sources

amicinema.it · criticaleye.it · dtimes.jp · gqitalia.it · internazionale.it · movieconnection.it · naewna.com · news.mynavi.jp · sitopreferito.it · siviaggia.it · thaipr.net

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history