Sound of Falling explores German girlhood on a farm across four eras

Mascha Schilinski’s film Sound of Falling is set on a rambling German farm and moves among four time periods — the early 1900s, the end of World War II, Cold War–era East Germany and the present day — to trace experiences of girlhood across generations. The New York Times review says the long, detour‑heavy film opens in its second time frame with an overture in which the adolescent Erika (Lea Drinda) ties up a leg, tastes her uncle’s sweat and is slapped by a farmhand, establishing a world of feminine mischief, libido, transgression and abuse.

The movie intercuts vignettes from each period through the points of view of various young women, including 7‑year‑old Alma (Hanna Heckt) in the 1910s, her mother Emma (Susanne Wuest), the maid Trudi (Luzia Oppermann), a young Fritz (Filip Schnack), Angelika (Lena Urzendowsky) in the 1980s and the present‑day Nelly (Zoë Baier).

The review notes the film uses ambient sound and sonic design, changing lighting and clothing, and a mostly roving camera to anchor time while the static setting amplifies echoes across eras.

Key Topics

Culture, Mascha Schilinski, East Germany, German Farm, Lea Drinda, Alma