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    • New Talents Open Call
      Eastern Neighbours Film Festival (ENFF) began in The Netherlands in 2008 with the idea to offer Dutch and international audiences a unique glimpse into the cinema of their neighbors from Eastern and Southern Europe. This annual event presents the most recent, exciting, and thought‐provoking films, from countries with small, but often powerful film industries, that… Read more: New Talents Open Call
    • ENFF 2023 On Demand!
      Unable To attend the festival in person? No problem! From November 27th to December 3rd, we’re thrilled to bring you a curated selection of this year’s films available for online viewing! Catch our captivating Opening Film Ivan’s Land, or the touching Closing Film Seventh Heaven. Or explore a collection of shorts from the New Talents Competition! Follow along… Read more: ENFF 2023 On Demand!
    • What’s up in Slovak Cinema? A conversation with Monika Lostakova
      We talked with Monika Lošťáková about contemporary Slovak cinema.
    • ENFF and the Eastern European Film Festival Network!
      The Eastern European Film Festival Network brings together five film festivals dedicated to promoting and showcasing Eastern European cinema, alongside one partner organisation.
    • Masterclasses
      Through these masterclasses we approach two memory in film from different angles: memories from a personal or collective recollection through archive material.
    • Work in Progress
      In Work in Progress, emerging filmmakers and artists will present their works in development to the audience and engage in discussions with Dutch experts.
    • Festival Timetable Available!
    • Check out the catalogue for our 2023 edition!
    • Music at ENFF
      Every year, ENFF brings special musical guests who bring beauty to the program and further represent the rich cultures of their countries to a Dutch audience.
    • Film Marathon
      Join us for the Film Marathon, a new concept in which we merge two components, Short Films, Big Stories, and New Talents Competition into a whole-day screening of short films!

ENFF On Tour in Amsterdam: The Pig

The Eastern Neighbors Film Festival, which annually presents the best and most relevant films from Eastern Europe in The Hague, goes on tour and also visits Rialto, Amsterdam. On Saturday 26 September at 16:30 hours, ENFF presents the Best Bulgarian Film of 2019 – The Pig by director Dragomir Sholev. Festival director Rada Sesic will introduce the film and the upcoming edition of ENFF. Afterwards there will be a recorded Q&A with Sholev.

Synopsis

Shy, chubby 13-year-old Rumen – nicknamed “The Pig” – lives with his grandmother, as his parents both work abroad. Every day, he is bullied by his classmates at school. His teachers are no help at all, they just ignore him. He has learned never to respond to insults and name-calling, hoping to be completely invisible. But one day his bullies go too far, pushing him to his limits, and Rumen strikes back. With far-reaching consequences.

It is not the first time that Bulgarian director Dragomir Sholev tackles the theme of mentally neglected or abused children. In 2010 he made the multi-award-winning film Shelter, a poignant portrait of a 12-year-old boy who is grossly neglected by his parents and runs away from home. In The Pig, Sholev again succeeds in portraying the loneliness and anguish of his lead character in a credible and highly recognizable way.

Festivals & Awards

Sofia International Film Festival, 2019 – Special Jury Award, Best Bulgarian Feature Film Award, FIPRESCI Prize | Filmfest Munchen, 2019 | Festival del Cinema Europeo, Lecce 2019

Original title: Praseto Country: Bulgaria, Romania Year: 2018 Length: 96 min Director: Dragomir Sholev Screenplay: Dragomir Sholev, Martin Iliev Editing: Vesela Vidolova, Dragomir Sholev Cinematography: Georgi Andreev Cast: Rumen Georgiev, Andrea Zahariev, Filip Pavlov Production: Elena Mosholova, Dragomir Sholev – Gorilla Films; Nu Boyana, B2Y, Screening Emotions, Papillon Film