Cinema: "Hotel Silence" in Ilanz

Jean, in his mid-fifties, has reached a mental low point and so he makes a plan: a journey without a return ticket to a European country devastated by war, where no one knows him and no one dissuades him from his plan to end his life. The most important piece of luggage is his toolbox, perhaps he has to attach a hook to the ceiling for the rope. He takes up residence in a dilapidated hotel and takes on minor repairs out of sheer habit. The young hotel owner notices his craftsmanship and hires him without further ado to help with the reconstruction. Suddenly, Jean is no longer in such a hurry to die. In view of the resilience and hope of these war-disabled people, he also draws new courage for himself.

"Hôtel Silence" is an ode to life. By drawing a parallel between the scars of one man and those of a people traumatized by war, the film does not emphasize violence and destruction, but rather regeneration and solidarity. The new film by Swiss-Canadian director Léa Pool is based on the Icelandic novel Hotel Silence (Ör) by author Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir and has been nominated for the Prix de Soleure