Silence, The (2011)

Original title Das Letzte Schweigen

Director Baran bo Odar

This highly-assured sophomore feature about two unresolved murder cases firmly establishes writer–director Baran bo Odar as a major international talent. More melodrama than thriller, it cleverly binds its disparate characters together through themes of loneliness, guilt and atonement.

When 13-year-old Sinikka’s bicycle is found in a wheat field, a retired police inspector is certain it is linked to the rape and murder of another girl 23 years earlier to the day. But the younger investigator on the case, recently widowed, is reluctant to tell Sinikka’s parents until her body—and her killer—is found. As we delve deeper and deeper into the characters inner psyches, questions of “Whodunit?” become less central than concerns over how the characters will cope. Nuanced performances by a talented ensemble cast, exquisitely composed frames, and a dramatic yet restrained pace make for a captivating film going experience. And the quiet but steadily building internal trauma of the victims’ families transforms their silence into a deafening roar. - Palm Springs International Film Festival 2011