Silent Friend (2025)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
Three loosely connected stories across different eras are linked by a single ginkgo tree in an old university town.
The story
In 1908, Grete, a determined young German woman, seeks admission to Marburg University, where she faces gender bias from the botany department. After being expelled from her home, she finds work in a photography studio and develops a bond with a ginkgo tree. In 1972, a solitary student named Hannes spends his time in the botanical garden, interacting with a housemate who researches plant-human connections. By 2020, a neurologist named Dr. Tony Wong travels from Hong Kong to Marburg to study brain activity but finds his plans disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading him to seek a connection with the same ancient ginkgo tree.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film weaves three narratives centered around a ginkgo tree in Marburg, Germany. In 1908, Grete faces sexual harassment and gender bias during her university entrance exam. After being expelled from her lodgings for alleged promiscuity, she works as a photography assistant and plans a trip to the 'East Indies.' In 1972, Hannes, a student, becomes obsessed with a purple geranium and its activity sensor, eventually modifying it to open a gate, while his housemate Gundula explores human-plant interactions. In 2020, Dr. Tony Wong's research on brain activity is halted by the pandemic. He begins a study matching his neurological activity with the ginkgo tree's activity using an improvised scanner. Despite the janitor Anton's initial hostility toward the equipment, the two eventually bond over a local dish and watch the tree's fertilization process together.
- Original title
- Stille Freundin
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 147
- Production countries
- Germany; France; Hungary; Hong Kong
- Original languages
- German; English; Cantonese
- Directors
- Ildikó Enyedi
- Writers
- Ildikó Enyedi · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tony Leung Chiu-wai · Dr. Tony Wong; Léa Seydoux · Dr. Alice Sauvage; Luna Wedler · Gundula; Enzo Brumm · Hannes; Sylvester Groth · Anton; Martin Wuttke · Thomas; Rainer Bock; Yun Huang
- Genres
- historical drama
- Themes
- gender bias; human-nature connection; solitude; scientific research
- Tone and mood
- lyrical; profound; beautiful; elusive
- Premise and plot tags
- historical drama; multi-generational; botany; pandemic
- Content notes
- sexually charged questions
- Reception
- The film received universal acclaim, with critics describing it as a lyrical and profound effort that explores the natural world with empathy.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 90 · scale: 100 · review count: 17
- Awards and nominations
- Marcello Mastroianni Award · Wedler · win
- Production trivia
- The film was shot at the Alter Botanischer Garten Marburg.; Tony Leung Chiu-wai wrote the role specifically for him.; The 1908 segment was filmed in black-and-white 35 mm film, 1972 in 16 mm film, and 2020 digitally.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…