Experiencing Interruptions?

Ganz Still und Stumm

This experimental silent film does not follow a conventional narrative but seeks to convey a universal emotion: a profound yearning for inner peace, intertwined with the weight of existential sorrow and the numbness born of repeated failure and loss.

Set against the solitude of a mountainous landscape, the protagonist wrestles with her inner turmoil. The serene environment contrasts sharply with intense nightmares and panic attacks, which pull her back to fragmented memories of her former world. These fleeting flashbacks, laden with trauma, regrets, and misguided choices, amplify the sense of an unresolved search.

The mountain becomes a powerful symbol: representing the aspiration to rise above oneself and the acceptance of profound loss—even of one’s own identity. The journey culminates not in resolution but in a poignant realization: healing requires the courage to let go of everything.

Through its evocative sound design, devoid of dialogue the film invites the audience into an emotional exploration, leaving ample space for personal interpretation and introspection.

  • Verena Hofer
    Director
  • Verena Hofer
    Writer
  • Verena Hofer
    Producer
  • Aurelia Bösch
    Key Cast
  • Marvin Beck
    Cinematography
  • Yannik Hartlaub
    Sound Design
  • Lucas Melcher
    Edit
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Ganz Still und Stumm
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    39 minutes 5 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 25, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    0 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Austria
  • Country of Filming:
    Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Switzerland
  • Language:
    No Dialogue
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Verena Hofer

Verena Hofer is a filmmaker from South Tyrol, Italy, currently based in Vorarlberg, Austria. With a degree in Intermedia from the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences, she has honed her skills in storytelling through film, sound design, and editing. She creates personal film and art projects that explore deep and often emotional themes.

Verena’s artistic approach is centered on capturing untold stories and inviting viewers to interpret her work on their own terms.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Ganz still und stumm" is deeply personal. It emerged from a time in my life when words were no longer enough to express the overwhelming emotions I felt. I turned to the visual and auditory realms to explore themes of longing, existential sorrow, and the numbing silence of inner turmoil.

This film is not about answers—it is about the experience of questioning. It is a journey through isolation, fear, and the fragility of selfhood. The mountain, in its grandeur and indifference, became the perfect witness to this exploration: a symbol of resilience, confrontation, and, ultimately, surrender.

For me, creating this film was an act of catharsis, a way to externalize emotions too raw and elusive for conventional storytelling. The absence of dialogue allowed me to communicate through atmosphere, rhythm, and sound, letting the audience connect with the film in their own unique way.

I hope this piece resonates with viewers not through clarity but through feeling—a shared understanding of what it means to search for meaning in a world that often feels indifferent to our struggles.