We have three different stories taking place during separate times in the history of a University. All three stories involve protagonists who come upon the same ginkgo tree within the university courtyard, which connects all three of these stories and their respective protagonists together. Sometime in the early 1900s, a young woman applies to become the first female university student, who is met with ridicule and mockery even by the professors themselves interviewing her. In 1972, another student named Hannes finds himself catching feelings for his roommate Gundula, a botany student at the same university. He reads up on and studies plants in an attempt to get closer to her, but Gundula catches on to his attempts – his use of a quote from Goethe does not impress Gundula, and Gundula later asks Hannes if he is a virgin and if he wants to have sex with her (which Hannes, by a clear state of nervousness quickly denies both). Later on, Hannes becomes friend-zoned after Gundula writes him a letter telling him about her hookup with another man. Lastly there is 2020 during the COVID pandemic, where we follow professor and neurologist Dr. Tony Wong (played by none other than Tony Leung Chiu-Wai), who begins to study the very same ginkgo tree at the center of the film, mapping out the tree’s own activity as if it were alive and breathing in a manner similar to our own. The university janitor, however, has his own doubts and begins to sabotage the research project much to Dr. Wong’s dismay.

I personally found the style a little overbearing and overwhelming – it’s got a very loud soundtrack to punctuate so many of the dramatic moments when I think I would have preferred a slower, meditative approach to soak in some of the philosophical ideas and appreciation of the cinematography. There were definitely good visuals here, but the camera never lingers long enough on them as it constantly cuts back and forth during scenes, and even across the different subplots happening in different times. It was a lot to the senses, and I think I found myself getting exhausted over time as the film’s nearly 150 minute runtime got to me. Perhaps it’s also a matter of the material being paper thin – for example, the 1970s segment to me felt the least compelling of the three. The subplot regarding Hannes’ feelings for Gundula only for her to friendzone him feels awkwardly unresolved and adds nothing to the grand scheme of things. I did, however, like the attention to detail in filming the different time periods in different styles that were reflective of the historical context – black-and-white 35mm, the 16mm for the 1970s segment, and shooting on digital in the modern day.

This also reminded me a bit of Sound of Falling, and might make an interesting, if very long double feature with that film. Both are German language movies that came out earlier this year theatrically (and also premiered at TIFF), both take place within one location, and said location is what unites all these different peoples’ lives and stories across time. There’s also a kind of mystical element surrounding the location in both films – in this case, plants have consciousness and are just as alive as we are. I’m not sure I totally buy it even on a scientific level, especially considering the somewhat pseudo-philosophical explanation that Dr. Wong gives during his university lecture at the beginning of the film that barely felt like it discussed anything neurology-related at all. But I’m sure environmentalists and naturalists out there will appreciate the messaging for what it is.