Schweigend steht der Wald

The Silent Forest

Anja is undertaking her forestry internship in the forests of the Upper Palatinate, of all places. This is where, twenty years ago, her father disappeared in unexplained circumstances. After a threatening encounter with Xaver, a person with a learning disability who kills his bedridden mother shortly afterwards, Anja begins to suspect that he might have murdered her father as well. Her suspicions are reinforced when she comes across traces of excavation on the forest floor while carrying out mapping work. Childhood friend Rupert falls in love with Anja, but he is wary of her ability to read the forest and, just like the older villagers, has no interest in further investigations. The risk of damaging the region’s reputation is too high.

When Anja's father's skeleton is found, everything points to Xaver as the perpetrator, especially when he commits suicide a short time later. Sceptical about how quickly and miraculously the case appears to have been solved, Anja cannot shake off the feeling that she has stumbled upon a secret.

Source: 72. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)