•
147m
Silent Friend
Synopsis
Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Léa Seydoux star in the wondrous latest from Ildikó Enyedi (On Body and Soul), following three era-spanning stories connected by one magnificent tree.
Exploring the deep connections between humans and nature, Silent Friend centres on a centuries-old Gingko tree planted within the grounds of a German university across 3 distinct time periods; 1908, 1972 and 2020. In 2020, a neuroscientist from Hong Kong (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), exploring the mind of babies, begins an unexpected experiment with the old tree. 1972, a young student (Enzo Brumm) is profoundly changed by the simple act of observing and connecting with a geranium. 1908, the university’s first female student (Luna Wedler) discovers, through the lens of photography, sacred patterns of the universe hidden within the humblest of plants.
Director Ildikó Enyedi's profound and emotive Silent Friend is a visually stunning drama about the quiet, enduring, and mysterious power of nature.
Some German and Cantonese language, English subtitles.
Festivals & Awards
2025 Venice Film Festival | 6x Winner, including: Marcello Mastroianni Award for for Best New Young Actor or Actress, FIPRESCI Prize - Best Film from Venezia 82, Green Drop Award
2025 Toronto International Film Festival | Official Selection
2026 Sydney Film Festival | Official Selection
Season starts July 2 at Luna Leederville.
Rating
M
Length
147m
Genre
New Release
Reviews
Leung doesn’t need to prove anything, but he proves everything anyway … This is less a performance than a presence: a study in silence, longing, and grace. With barely a handful of lines, roaming around the pandemic-emptied university halls, Leung communicates galaxies.
Marvelous … In its subtle, beseeching exploration of the connection between the human world and less understood dimensions, this Venice competition standout feels like a spiritual extension of Enyedi’s On Body and Soul.
A true original, one of those cinematic events that, once seen, will not be easily forgotten.
Luna Recommended
128m
An exploration of how trauma can be transformed into art, adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch’s autobiographical bestseller.
90m
A global, Super 8–shot meditation on the natural world, weaving together intimate human perspectives and breathtaking wildlife.
102m
EX
An Icelandic writer races to preserve memories, family and a vanishing landscape as his homeland’s glaciers melt away.
89m
EX
From the director of Fire of Love, this is a must see for lovers of documentary, nature, science and adventure.
99m
A loving tribute to singer, actor and cultural icon Marianne Faithfull, poster child for the 1960s counterculture.
110m
Climbing Film Tour is back with an awesome selection of short films celebrating the global climbing community.
 1.png)