Silent Friend

At the heart of an old German university grows a majestic ginkgo tree, its lifespan measured in centuries. As the years pass, the distinguished plant bears witness to the private lives of those who seek shade under its boundless branches. In 2020, a visiting neuroscientist conducts a series of experiments into the possibilities of botanical consciousness. In 1972, a young student is profoundly changed by studying the behavior of a simple geranium. And in 1908, the university’s first female student’s photographic inquiries reveal sacred patterns of the universe hidden within the humblest of plants.  Three lonely souls, three outsiders. Over time, each is transformed by the quiet, enduring, and mysterious power of nature.

Starring the legendary Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Léa Seydoux.