cinematography /// constanze schmitt

Zhaleika

Bulgaria 2016

92 minutes

Director: Eliza Petkova

Lora, a 17 years old girl, has to deal with her father's death. In the small Bulgarian village where time seems to stand still, her family and the villagers expect her to give herself over to grief. From now on she must wear black, not listen to any music and observe various mourning rituals. However, Lora wants to keep on enjoying her youth but her desire to live a normal life is disrupted by the judgement of others, who force her to play the role of an orphan.

* 66th Berlin International Film Festival/Generation

     Nominated for Best First Feature Film

     Special Mention by the International Jury Generation 14+

* 20th International Sofia Film Festival, Bulgaria

     Grand Prix for Best Film in the International Competition

* 56th Zlin Film Festival, Czech Republik

* The Golden Linden International Film Festival of New European Cinema, Bulgaria

* 31th Festival Internacional de Cine de Valencia Cinema Jove, Spain

     Nominated for the Luna de Valencia

* Cinema City International Film Festival Novi Sad, Serbia

* Burgas International Film Festival, Bulgaria

* 10th International Five Lakes Festival, Germany

     Nominated for the Five Lakes Newcomer's Award

* Cinematik International Film Festival, Slovakia

* 9th Cine East Luxembourg

* Film Fest Gent, Belgium

* 39th Mill Valley Film Festival, California, USA

* Balkanmania, Istanbul Modern, Turkey

* 33rd Chicago International Children's Film Festival

     2nd Youth Jury Price

* 35th Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival, Finland

* 23rd Minsk International Film Festival, Belarus

     Best Director "Listapadzik"

* Cinedays Skopje, Makedonia

* Zagreb Film Festival, Croatia

* Tbilisi International Film Festival, Georgia

* Küstendorf Film and Music Festival, Serbia

* 15th Pune International Film Festival PIFF, India

* Lets Cee Film Festival Vienna, Austria

* Kinotrip Filmfestival, Ljubljana, Slovenia

* 46th Sehsüchte International Student Film Festival, Germany

* 18th Stockholm International Film Festival Junior, Sweden