Silent Friend posted the strongest limited debut among indie films this weekend with a $74,400 gross from two New York City theaters. The film earned a per-theater average of $37,200, the highest for a non-English language release in recent months. Blue Film followed with a solid $31,000 from two engagements.
Directed by Ildikó Enyedi and starring Tony Leung, Silent Friend premiered at the 2025 Venice Film Festival where it won six awards, including the FIPRESCI Prize and Best Young Actress for Luna Welder. The drama, which follows three lives transformed around a ginkgo tree over a century, holds a 97 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It expands to Los Angeles, Washington D.C., San Francisco and other cities on May 15 before rolling out further on May 22 and May 29.