Tsvetelina Yordanova

Silent Observers

With the population in decline, a traditional way of life is ending in a remote, rundown Bulgarian village. This poetic and at times tragicomic film follows the last remaining inhabitants from the perspective of several domesticated animals. There’s a great deal of attention given to sound, light and movement: an overflowing bucket, sunlight dancing in rustling foliage, the ticking sound of ants on the move, and a cowbell clanging in the wind.

Across the Naked Hills

Zhana, a quiet young woman, lives with her controlling foster father Danail in the remote countryside. Amid her tedious routine, Zhana secretly visits a dog tied to an empty barrel in an abandoned quarry. Soon, Danail discovers her secret.