Botanists Across Centuries Explore Nature's Secrets in Enigmatic Film

'Silent Friend', the latest feature from Hungarian filmmaker Ildikó Enyedi, is an enigmatic arthouse triptych that explores the mysterious connection between humans and the natural world. Set at the same German university over three time periods spanning two centuries, the film follows a trio of characters conducting botany experiments that test the communicative powers of nature.

In the modern storyline, which takes place during the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, respected neuroscientist Tony Leung Chui-wai finds himself locked down on an empty campus. Unable to continue his research on infant brainwaves, he switches subjects and starts measuring the waves of an old gingko tree outside his laboratory. This tree serves as the connective tissue between Tony and two scientists who preceded him at the same institution - Grete, a brilliant student who became the first female to integrate the university's science department in the late 19th century, and Hannes, a dreamer of a pupil in the 1970s who helps his housemate run experiments on a geranium.

Enyedi shifts between the three storylines, creating a film that is more about the journey than the destination. Exquisitely shot and layered with dense sound design, 'Silent Friend' blends visual poetry with deadpan humor and big ideas about humanity's relationship with the natural world. The director thrives on making unexpected connections, planting themes that spread deeper as the movie progresses. For those open to Enyedi's particular brand of expansive filmmaking, 'Silent Friend' will likely grow on them, culminating in scenes that crescendo with swirling, scientific imagery backed by a resonant score.