The Tale of Silyan

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The Tale of Silyan

PG

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1h 21m

Documentary

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23 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Tamara Kotevska tells the story a white stork, Silyan, and a Macedonian farmer, Nikola. Their lives intertwine when Nikola, abandoned by his family, saves the injured bird from a landfill. As Nikola and Silyan form a bond, they find solace and companionship in each other's solitude.

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Alissa Wilkinson

New York Times

The legend woven throughout heightens the film’s feeling of truth: The effects of young people leaving and returning on a small, close-knit community have been felt for many generations.

Dec 1, 2025

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Carlos Aguilar

RogerEbert.com

It’s a succinct, entrancing, and life-affirming documentary.

Rated: 4/4

Nov 26, 2025

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Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

Tamara Kotevska’s ‘The Tale of Silyan' is a lovely character study of a man and an injured stork, one that intertwines mythology and the plight of people who work off a dying land into a short, effective piece of work.

Sep 15, 2025

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Christopher Campbell

Nonfics (Substack)

Among the most beautiful documentaries of 2025...there’s something very universal about the protagonist’s struggle, as well as something very timely.

Nov 28, 2025

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Ross Bonaime

Collider

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 all year.

Rated: 8/10

Nov 26, 2025

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Gregory Nussen

Screen Rant

The film is at its most lucid when Kotevska's images are allowed to speak for themselves, as when Nikola and his neighbor desperately use a metal detector around the land in the hopes of finding gold.

Rated: 8/10

Nov 26, 2025

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Stephen C

Real footage in 01 hour and 21 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All ages admitted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/29/25

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Tamara Kotevska

Director

Aleksandar Conev

Self

Nikola Conev

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Aleksandra Coneva

Self

Ilina Coneva

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Jana Coneva

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Synopsis

Tamara Kotevska tells the story a white stork, Silyan, and a Macedonian farmer, Nikola. Their lives intertwine when Nikola, abandoned by his family, saves the injured bird from a landfill. As Nikola and Silyan form a bond, they find solace and companionship in each other's solitude.

Director: Tamara Kotevska
Producer: Anna Hashmi, Tamara Kotevska, Jean Dakar, Jordanco Petkovski
Distributor: Picturehouse
Production Co: Concordia Studio, The Corner Shop, Ciconia Film
Rating: PG
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: Macedonian
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 28, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 21m