Movies
‘Sound of Falling’ Premieres to Rave Reviews and Palme d’Or Buzz, Igniting Cannes Competition with I
Mascha Schilinski’s ‘Sound of Falling’ Premieres in Cannes to Rave Reviews and Palme d’Or Buzz
German filmmaker Mascha Schilinski made a powerful impression at Cannes as her latest film, Sound of Falling, became the first entry from this year’s official competition to premiere at the prestigious Grand Lumière Theater on Wednesday afternoon. The film marks Schilinski’s follow-up to her 2017 debut Dark Blue Girl, and early acclaim suggests it could be a serious contender for the Palme d’Or.
Although the film received a modest three-and-a-half-minute standing ovation, the response was partly curtailed by an immediate theater turnover for the premiere of Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. Schilinski briefly addressed the crowd, thanking her cast, prompting continued applause as attendees exited.
The film has already garnered glowing praise from critics. Variety’s Guy Lodge described it as a “shattering” epic that launches Schilinski “into the big leagues,” while Alison Wilmore of Vulture declared it “possibly the best movie at Cannes.” IndieWire’s David Ehrlich called it a “mesmerizing stunner,” with additional rave reviews coming from The Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, and others. The film is currently seeking U.S. distribution.
Set on a remote farm in northern Germany, Sound of Falling follows the intertwined lives of four girls — Alma, Erika, Angelika, and Lenka — across a century. Though separated by time, their stories echo one another as the farm itself becomes a vessel for memory and transformation.
In a pre-festival interview with Variety, Schilinski described the film as an exploration of memory and perception. “At first, you’re trapped in your body and the moment,” she explained, “but over time, you can look back at yourself from the outside.”
Schilinski and co-writer Louise Peter wrote the screenplay while living on a farm, drawing inspiration from what Schilinski called the “simultaneity of time.” She reflected on the spirits and echoes that inhabit such spaces: “This place had been abandoned for 50 years, but everything was still there — even a spoon a farmer had once set down.”
The film is produced by Maren Schmitt, Lucas Schmidt, and Lasse Scharpen for Studio Zentral, in association with ZDF/Das Kleine Fernsehspiel and backed by MDM, BKM, and the DFFF. International sales are being handled by MK2.
