Hôtel Silence

Jean, in his mid-fifties, has hit rock bottom and so he comes up with a plan: a journey without a return ticket to a European country devastated by war, where nobody knows him and nobody can dissuade him from his plan to end his life. He takes up residence in a dilapidated hotel and, out of sheer habit, undertakes minor repairs. The young hotel owner notices his handyman skills and hires him without further ado to help with the reconstruction. Suddenly Jean is no longer in such a hurry to die. In the face of the resilience and hope of these war-wounded people, he also finds 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 traumatised by war, the film does not emphasise violence and destruction, but rather regeneration and solidarity. The film is based on the Icelandic novel «Hôtel Silence» by author Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir and was nominated for the Prix de Soleure.