Mascha Schilinski's Sound of Falling has made a striking debut at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, immediately sparking buzz and critical acclaim. The film is competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or. Schilinski, previously known for her 2017 debut, Dark Blue Girl, has directed episodes of the German television series Cologne PD. Sound of Falling marks her first entry into the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection.

Sound of Falling unfolds over a century within a farmhouse in Germany's Altmark region, intertwining the lives of four young girls from different eras. The film explores themes of female coming-of-age, memory, and the echoes of the past. The cast includes Lea Drinda, Laeni Geiseler, Hanna Heckt, and Lena Urzendowsky. Schilinski co-wrote the film with Louise Peter.

The film presents a "kaleidoscopic examination of female coming-of-age from the turn of the twentieth century onwards". The stories of Alma, Erika, Angelika, and Lenka are connected by the house and the land. Though the characters exist in different time periods, their experiences resonate across the years, creating a dialogue through the walls of the house.

Critics have noted the film's ambition and Schilinski's assured directorial vision. The film's non-linear narrative, which jumps between timelines, can be disorienting. However, it captivates with its visual language and immersive sound design. The film explores the weight of social expectations and existential dread that burden the four main characters.

The earliest timeline is set within a farming family preparing for the outbreak of World War I. Alma, a young girl, observes the strange events around her with disturbing lucidity. Later, in the 1940s, Erika becomes fascinated by her amputee uncle. In the 1980s, Angelika finds herself subject to unwanted attention from her uncle. In the present day, Lenka witnesses the death of her friend and becomes infatuated with another girl.

Sound of Falling has been compared to The Virgin Suicides in its tone and tenor. Schilinski's influences include Bergman, Tarkovsky, and the Brothers Grimm. The film's cinematography, is by Fabian Gamper. Anna von Hausswolff contributed to the sound design.

Some critics have found the film grim and focused on suffering, while others praise its ethereal brilliance and exploration of the female experience. Despite the differing opinions, Sound of Falling has generated considerable buzz at Cannes, establishing Schilinski as a filmmaker to watch. The film is slated for release in Germany in September.