Silent Friend

Silent Friend
Promotional poster
GermanStille Freundin
Directed byIldikó Enyedi
Written byIldikó Enyedi
Produced by
  • Reinhard Brundig
  • Nicolas Elghozi
  • Mónika Mécs
  • Meng Xie
Starring
CinematographyGergely Pálos
Edited byKároly Szalai
Music by
  • Gábor Keresztes
  • Kristóf Kelemen
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • Pandora Film (Germany)
  • Mozinet (Hungary)
Release date
  • 5 September 2025 (2025-09-05) (Venice)
Running time
147 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Germany
  • France
  • Hungary
Languages
  • German
  • English
  • Cantonese

Silent Friend (German: Stiller Freund) is a 2025 film written and directed by Ildikó Enyedi. Starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Léa Seydoux, Luna Wedler, Sylvester Groth and Martin Wuttke, it follows a single gingko tree through three loosely connected stories in different eras: 1908, 1972, and 2020, taking place in the old university town of Marburg, Germany.[2]

The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2025, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize and the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Wedler.

Cast

Production

Tony Leung Chiu-wai was announced as a cast member in August 2023; director Ildikó Enyedi stated that she wrote Leung's role specifically for him.[3] Silent Friend marks Leung's second film outside of Asia, after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), and his first European production.[4]

In November 2023, the film received a €500,000 production grant from Eurimages.[5] The Hesse Film Office awarded the film €550,000.[6][7]

Principal photography began in April 2024. The film was primarily shot in Marburg, specifically at the Alter Botanischer Garten Marburg at the University of Marburg.[6][7] Filming also took place in Cologne.[2]

Release

Films Boutique acquired the international sales rights to the film in May 2024.[8] The film was presented at the Cannes Film Market in May 2025.[9] A trailer was released on 4 September 2025.[10] The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2025,[11] followed by its North American premiere on 9 September at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.[12] It was also screened at the BFI London Film Festival.[13] In November 2025, Silent Friend screened at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival where Ildikó Enyedi received a lifetime achievement Award and presented a masterclass titled "Poetry of reality".[14]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 19 critics' reviews are positive.[15]

Stephanie Bunbury of Deadline wrote that the film is "beautiful, elusive and peppered with provocative nuggets about the nature of life and our place in it."[16]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Venice Film Festival 6 September 2025 Golden Lion Ildikó Enyedi Nominated [17]
FIPRESCI Prize Won [18]
Premio CinemaSarà Won
Edipo Re Award Won
Green Drop Award Won
Leoncino d'Oro Award – Cinema of UNICEF Won
Marcello Mastroianni Award Luna Wedler Won [19]
Chicago International Film Festival 24 October 2025 Gold Hugo Silent Friend Nominated [20]
Best Cinematography Gergely Pálos Won [21]
Valladolid International Film Festival 1 November 2025 Silver Spike Silent Friend Won [22]

References

  1. ^ "Silent Friend [M]". Australian Classification Board. 24 February 2026. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b Vena, Teresa (23 September 2024). "Ildikó Enyedi working on her new feature, Silent Friend". Cineuropa. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  3. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (23 August 2023). "Tony Leung Chiu-Wai Joins Cast of 'Silent Friend' From 'On Body and Soul' Director Ildiko Enyedi (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  4. ^ Balaga, Marta (1 September 2025). "Tony Leung Already Wants to Reunite With His 'Silent Friend' Helmer But Marvel Sequel Still Up in the Air: 'I Go With the Flow' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  5. ^ González, David (28 November 2023). "Eurimages supports 29 co-productions". Cineuropa. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  6. ^ a b Habeck, Jascha (21 April 2024). "Setbesuch bei "Silent Friend" in Marburg: Internationales Filmprojekt mit Staraufgebot". Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Forschung, Kunst und Kultur (in German). Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b Heueis, Freddy (22 April 2024). "Bärengewinnerin dreht "Silent Friend" in Marburg". Blickpunkt:Film (in German). Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  8. ^ Dams, Tim (17 May 2024). "Films Boutique acquires Ildiko Enyedi's 'Silent Friend' starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  9. ^ Balaga, Marta (13 May 2025). "Ildiko Enyedi's 'Silent Friend,' Laszlo Nemes' 'Orphan' Lead Hungarian Projects at Cannes Film Market". Variety. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  10. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (4 September 2025). "'Silent Friend' Trailer: Tony Leung Chiu-Wai Stars In Venice Contender Revolving Around Ancient Ginkgo Tree". Deadline. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  11. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (5 September 2025). "'Silent Friend' Debuts In Venice With A 5-Minute-Plus Ovation". Deadline. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  12. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (21 July 2025). "TIFF Galas & Presentations: World Premieres 'Good Fortune', 'Nuremberg', Sydney Sweeney Pic 'Christy', Angelina Jolie 'Couture'; North American Debuts Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein', Dwayne Johnson 'Smashing Machine'". Deadline. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  13. ^ Ntim, Zac (3 September 2025). "BFI London Film Festival: Chloé Zhao's 'Hamnet' & Kate Moss Biopic 'Moss & Feud' Among Headline Titles — Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  14. ^ "Hungarian Director Ildikó Enyedi Accepts FIPRESCI 100 Lifetime Achievement Award in Cairo". Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  15. ^ "Silent Friend". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  16. ^ Bunbury, Stephanie (5 September 2025). "'Silent Friend' Review: A Mesmerizing Reflection On Humans, Plants & How We Might Communicate – Venice Film Festival". Deadline. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  17. ^ Vivarelli, Nick; Shafer, Ellise (22 July 2025). "Venice Film Festival Lineup: Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein,' Yorgos Lanthimos' 'Bugonia' With Emma Stone, Benny Safdie's 'Smashing Machine,' Luca Guadagnino's 'After the Hunt' and More". Variety. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  18. ^ "Collateral awards and events of the 82nd Venice Film Festival". Venice Film Festival. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  19. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (6 September 2025). "Venice Film Festival – Jim Jarmusch's 'Father Mother Sister Brother' Is Golden Lion Winner; 'Voice of Hind Rajab' Takes Grand Jury Prize; Benny Safdie Best Director for 'The Smashing Machine'". Deadline. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  20. ^ Jeremy Kay (10 September 2025). "'Sound Of Falling', 'Sirât', 'La Grazia' among Chicago international competition picks". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  21. ^ "Festival Award Winners". Cinema Chicago. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  22. ^ Blanes, Pepa (1 November 2025). "Espiga de Oro 'ex aequo' para 'The Mastermind' de Kelly Reichardt y para la producción española 'Magallanes' de Lav Diaz" [The Golden Spike award was shared by Kelly Reichardt's 'The Mastermind' and Lav Diaz's Spanish co-production 'Magallanes'.]. Cadena SER (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 November 2025.
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