Saved events

The Tale of Silyan (PG)

— ,Cinemas
Nikola feeds Silyan fish in his palm as he tries to nurse him back to health. (C

A farmer grappling with poverty takes an injured white stork under his wing, in this visually arresting part-documentary, part-fable.

In the fields of Macedonia, faced with the harsh realities of new government policies, farmer Nikola finds himself unable to sell his land or crops. As his family leaves in search of a better life abroad, he takes a job as a landfill attendance, where he rescues an injured stork.

As he nurses Silyan back to health, an unlikely bond emerges, and the line between reality and folk-tale is blurred. The stork Silyan was a farmer's son, who upon abandoning his family, was turned into a bird by his father's curse.

The result is Tamara Kotevska's deeply moving film that brings her favourite childhood story to life, with glowing cinematography. The genre-blending work touches on climate change, economic migration, resilience and the power of connection. 

Tagged with: Cinema Magic Mondays New releases

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) provides guidance to audiences, to help them choose what’s right for them and avoid what’s not. For guidance, please click here and type the film title into the search bar. 

Film information
  • Release year   2025
  • Country of origin   North Macedonia
  • Director   Tamara Kotevska
  • Runtime   1hr 20mins
‘This sly, delightful film is neither a pure documentary nor a work of fiction‘
The Guardian

Cinemas

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.