THE TALE OF SILYAN

Tamara Kotevska, director of the unforgettable, Oscar-nominated Honeyland (2020), brings us The Tale of Silyan, another brilliant documentary that may just become your favorite film of the year. Winner of the Venice and Chicago Film Festivals, her film was also selected as 2025 Best Documentary by the International Documentary Association (IDA).
It tells the story of a white stork, Silyan, and a Macedonian farmer, Nikola, whose lives intertwine when Nikola, abandoned by his family, saves the injured bird from a landfill. As Nikola and Silyan bond, they find solace and companionship in each other’s solitude. 80 minutes. In English and Macedonian with English subtitles.

“The work of a filmmaker capable of shattering categories and inventing new forms. Billed as a docu-fable, it blends non-fiction with the elements of a fairy tale in an extremely sophisticated way for a filmmaker still in her early thirties.” IndieWire

“Kotevska isn’t just telling a story of a farmer in a foreign land; she’s constructing a story that we can all relate to in our current world, in one of the finest documentaries you’ll see.” Collider

“Blending myth and realism with exquisite sensitivity, Kotevska crafts a work of rare poetic power, a film that observes, listens, and ultimately illuminates the quiet, stubborn beauty of life itself.” Next Best Picture

“An absolute charmer, The Tale of Silyan is an affecting look at the human-avian bond, with all its mysteries, warmth and ungainly practicalities.” The Hollywood Reporter