Silent Friend Receives 5-Minute Ovation at Venice
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Hungarian Oscar-nominated director Ildikó Enyedi returned to the Venice Film Festival last Friday night with Silent Friend, which received over five minutes of applause. Starring Léa Seydoux, the film was the final competition entry of the festival’s 82nd edition.
The story unfolds across three interconnected time periods in the heart of a botanical garden in a medieval German university town, where an ancient ginkgo tree stands as a witness to the rhythm of human life over more than a century. Additional cast members include Luna Wedler, Enzo Brame, and Tony Leung Chiu-wai.
Enyedi won the Golden Bear at the 2017 Berlin Film Festival for On Body and Soul, which later earned her an Academy Award nomination. Her last appearance at Venice dates back to 1994.
At the Venice press conference for Silent Friend, the filmmaker emphasized the need to protect “free science and research”: “Let us protect it, live with it, and enjoy the fruits of free science.” While the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score has not yet been released, all seven registered reviews have been positive.
Deadline’s critic wrote: “What remains is curiosity, and at the very least in this film, a lasting sense of wonder. What a delightful piece of work.”
Screen’s critic noted: “Although the tree section is neither narratively resolved nor explicitly concluded, it leaves behind numerous ideas—and countless admirable images.”
Little White Lies added: “Gergely Pálos’ cinematography makes you feel the intimacy of being watched by someone who is silently observing you.”
