Oscars: Hungary Selects Ildiko Enyedi’s ‘Silent Friend’ for International Feature Race (EXCLUSIVE)

Ildikó Enyedi’s “Silent Friend” is Hungary’s submission for the 2027 Oscars in the best international feature film category. Enyedi’s “On Body and Soul,” which won Berlin’s Golden Bear, was Oscar nominated in the same category in 2018.

“Silent Friend,” which stars Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Luna Wedler, Enzo Brumm and Léa Seydoux, is a poetic exploration of the relationship between humans, plants and time. It received six awards at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, and was recently selected as one of five nominees for the FIPRESCI Grand Prix, recognizing the best films of the year.

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Guy Lodge wrote in his review for Variety, “After watching this loving, very funny and abundantly fertile film, hugging the nearest tree doesn’t seem like enough — it deserves your warmest embrace.”

Earlier this year, “Silent Friend” was named best film at the 45th Hungarian Film Week in Budapest. Key members of its creative team were also honored: Gergely Pálos received the award for best cinematography, Károly Szalai won best editing, and Mónika Mécs received the award for best producer.

“Silent Friend” is a co-production between Germany’s Pandora Film, Hungary’s Inforg-M&M Film and France’s Galatée Films, in collaboration with China’s Rediance Films. The film is produced by Reinhard Brundig and Mécs. It was supported by Hungary’s National Film Institute.

“Silent Friend” has secured distribution in numerous territories worldwide, with 1-2 Special handling its release in the U.S. World sales are handled by Films Boutique.

The film was selected to compete for Hungary at the Oscars by a committee that comprised cinematographer Mátyás Erdély, screenwriter and director Gyula Gazdag, film historian and critic Gábor Gelencsér, festival organizer Kristóf Horváth, director Ágnes Kocsis and producer Sára László.

The shortlist for the 2027 Oscar nominations will be announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Dec. 15, with the final selection announced on Jan. 21. The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 14 in Los Angeles.