X
In Theaters Now
- 2025
- PG
- National Geographic Documentary Films
- 1 h 20 m
- 2025
- PG
- National Geographic Documentary Films
- 1 h 20 m
Summary A Macedonian folktale comes to life when a wounded white stork is rescued from a landfill by a down-on-his luck farmer, transforming both of their lives for the better.
Directed By: Tamara Kotevska
Written By: Suz Curtis, Tamara Kotevska
In Theaters Now
- 2025
- PG
- National Geographic Documentary Films
- 1 h 20 m
- 2025
- PG
- National Geographic Documentary Films
- 1 h 20 m
The Tale of Silyan
85
User Score Available after 4 ratings
tbd
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Summary A Macedonian folktale comes to life when a wounded white stork is rescued from a landfill by a down-on-his luck farmer, transforming both of their lives for the better.
Directed By: Tamara Kotevska
Written By: Suz Curtis, Tamara Kotevska
Where to Watch
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 8 Critic Reviews
85
100% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 8 Critic Reviews
85
100% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Nov 26, 2025
The Tale of Silyan functions as a dialect between old-world wisdom and modern socioeconomic realities, between the natural realm and the worries of mankind; it’s both spiritual and humanist, about forgiveness and adaptability, and makes a case for holding on to what you’ve always known to fend off the illusion of progress.
Nov 5, 2025
This is a filmmaker capable of glimpsing both an instant — and the eternal.
Nov 5, 2025
An absolute charmer, The Tale of Silyan is an affecting look at the human-avian bond, with all its mysteries, warmth and ungainly practicalities.
Dec 3, 2025
Some scenes are remarkably intimate — Nikola in his house on a stormy night drying off the stork, who falls asleep on his shoulder — and some are sweeping, which makes it an amazing portrait of a place on many scales.
Nov 26, 2025
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.
Nov 5, 2025
The storytelling is so deft and slick, it almost feels scripted at times. But there are certain elements that you can’t dictate in advance, like the almost spiritual connection that grows between Nikola and the gangly, damaged bird that he rescues from the dump, and which, in turn, reaffirms Nikola’s bond with the land.
Nov 5, 2025
The Tale of Silyan becomes not just a portrait of one man’s endurance but a testament to human resilience everywhere. 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.
User Reviews
tbd
Production Company
- The Corner Shop
- Concordia Studio
- Ciconia Film
Release Date Nov 28, 2025
Duration 1 h 20 m
Rating PG
Genres
Awards
International Documentary Association
• 3 Nominations
Venice Film Festival
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
Chicago International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
