Not a Word follows Nina, who leads a structured life, pursuing an ambitious artistic career. When her teenage son Lars has a strange accident at school, she decides to take a break from city life and together they head to their vacation home on the rugged Atlantic coast of France. Bound in silence, their already brittle relationship is pushed to the edge.
The film stars Maren Eggert, Jona Levin Nicolai, Maryam Zaree, Juliane Siebecke, Marko Mandić and Mehdi Nebbou, among others.
“Not a Word tells the story of a relationship crisis between a parent and a teenager. Is it possible to live a meaningful artistic career and be a good enough parent? The question is common, the answers vary depending on societal trends. What I would like to propose is a different variation of the question altogether: Is it really possible to be a good enough artist without living meaningful relationships?", Hanna Slak said in a statement.
The film is produced by Michel Balagué through Berlin-based Volte in coproduction with France’s Ici et Là, Slovenia’s Tramal Films, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Arte and TV Slovenia. It was supported by the Slovenian Film Center, BKM (Bundesregierung für Medien und Kultur), Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg and Eurimages.
The project was developed at Cannes L’Atelier and When East Meets West, among others.
The film was mainly shot on the French Atlantic coast by cinematographer Claire Mathon (Portrait of a Lady on Fire).
