*UK & IRELAND Rights

SILENT OBSERVERS

directed by ELIZA PETKOVA

Bulgaria, Germany / 96 Mins / Bulgarian

Synopsis:

In a remote Bulgarian mountain village, six animals reveal the mysterious world of superstition. A cat is considered a vampire, a donkey is thought to be bewitched, and a dog is seen as a chicken hunter. Through sensitive observation, we witness the dwindling hopes of the village through the eyes of its four-legged inhabitants. Time seems to stand still, yet transience remains the only constant.

Logline:

In a remote Bulgarian village, six animals reveal the mysterious world of superstition.

  • “The result is remarkable: a gentle, sentient work that’s unafraid to hand film’s anthropocentric supremacy to animals, those who have always observed us, silently.” - Cineuropa

  • In 2016, Eliza Petkova completed her first feature film, ZHALEIKA, which premiered at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival where it was nominated for Best First Feature and was awarded a Special Mention by the international jury of the Generation Section. This was followed by various other festival screenings, as wel as international prizes and awards. Eliza was invited to participate ni the Berlinale Talents at the 68th Berlin International Film Festival ni 2018. In 2020 her second feature film, A FISH SWIMMING UPSIDE DOWN, premiered at the 70th edition of Berlinale. In the same year she was awarded the Wim Wenders Grant. nI 2021 she received the Kompagnon-Fellowship Award at the 71st edition of Berlinale and was awarded Best Director at the Tirana International Film Festival.

  • 2024

    World Premiere: IDFA (Luminous Section)

  • Year: 2024

    Country: Bulgaria, Germany

    Length: 96 mins

    World Premiere: IDFA 2024

    Director: Eliza Petkova

    Producer: Veselka Kiryakova (Red Carpet)

    Co-Producer: Jasper Mielke (Wood Water Films GmbH), Karoline Henkel (Wood Water Films GmbH), Arto Sebastian (Wood Water Films GmbH)

    Cinematographer: Constanze Schmitt

    Editor: Eliza Petkova, Hannes Marget

    Screenplay: Eliza Petkova

    Music: Adam Goodwin, Anil Eraslan, Jung-Jae Kim, Lukas Akintaya, Shingo Masuda

    Sound: Hannes Marget

ELIZA PETKOVA

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