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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 Utrecht: The Winter Garden’s Tale

Sunday 3 November | 16:30 hours | Metaal Kathedraal | Rijksstraatweg 20, 3545 NA Utrecht

The new edition of ENFF On Tour in Utrecht brings the Dutch Premiere of The Winter Garden’s Tale by Simon Mozgovyi. A powerful documentary on the destiny of a floriculture pavilion and its long-time employee Valentyna, who dedicated her life to her work. This film about nature competing with human’s bureaucracy, will be screened in collaboration with Filmtheater ’T Hoogt in Utrecht’s Metaal Kathedraal. Our special guest, the director Simon Mozgovyi will be present at the screening!

Synopsis

The Floriculture Pavilion, one of the last soviet symbols, is about to end its existence. Its fate is decided when the elderly employee Valentyna Voronina is asked to retire. But Voronina does not agree with that. She thinks that all the plants will die without her, after investing her whole life into them. Meanwhile, a group of mysterious radioesthesists find a channel of positive energy right in front of the entrance of pavilion… The Winter Garden’s Tale is a vivid testimony of changing epochs process and human unwillingness to change. “The super-task is to show how palm trees and ficuses feel everything that happens with them and in general, what is the most important: people or plants. It is tragicomic film about life: not easy, but still life, with a bit of self-irony and allegory to routine”, points out Ukrainian director who meticulously filmed this exquisite place throughout the seasons.

Director’s Bio

Semen Mozgovyi is a director and an actor. Started as an actor in the Stel children and youth theater. In 2009 he began his studies at the Kharkiv State Academy of Culture at the department of film and television directing and graduated in 2013. He studied also dramaturgy at the Inter TV channel’s school. Since 2013 he works at the Dakh Theater. He works as a freelance director. Selected filmography: Semolina (2012), Vladimir Mayakovsky: And After All (2012).

Festivals & Awards (selection)

DOK Leipzig, 2018 | Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, 2018 | IDFA, 2018 – Docs for sale | Docudays UA, 2019 | Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, USA 2019

Original title: Istoriya zymovoho sadu Country: Ukraine, Czech Republic Year: 2018 Length: 75 min Director/Screenwriter: Simon Mozgovyi Cinematography: Denys Melnyk Editing: Mykola Bazarkin, Simon Mozgovyi Sound: Natalya Avramenko, Andrii Nidzelskyi, Michal Pajdiak Music: Roman Grigoriv, Illya Razumeyko, Zhanna Marchinska, Stepan Bebykh, Roman Grygoriv Production: Alex Chepiga, Artem Koliubaiev, Taras Bosak – Mainstream Pictures LLC