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    • NTC Award Ceremony
      New Talent Competition gives young filmmakers from Central, Eastern and Southern Europe the opportunity to present their outstanding debut or second film to the public. Join us on Sunday 1 December at 19h
    • Music at ENFF
      The Eastern Neighbours Film Festival welcomes special musical guests each year to enrich our program. For this 16th edition, we’re thrilled to present two talented young musicians: guitarist Antonio Peršak (CR) and violinist İdil Yunkuş (TR). Together, they will perform a traditional Balkan dance and folk song, highlighting the beauty of this music through the… Read more: Music at ENFF
    • Masterclass with Janez Burger
      This masterclass presents a unique opportunity to explore Burger's distinct storytelling style, genre use, and exploration of contemporary social issues. Join us on Saturday 30 November at 17h - Room 5
    • Panel Discussion: Exploration of individual and collective memory in cinema
      Panel Discussion: Exploration of individual and collective memory in cinema on Friday 29 November at 18h

Sisterhood

Karlovy Vary prize-winning, coming-of-age film with genuine insight into the friendship of two inseparable teenage girls. This remarkable debut with brilliant performances of young Macedonian actresses, has an unique cinematic approach that captures formative moments of youngsters in the times when one click on social media can ruin someone’s life.

Synopsis

Jana and Maya are inseparable friends with all the joy and complication of their adolescence until they get involved in the accidental murder of a classmate. Can friendship survive rivalry as they will have to face the dire repercussions of their manipulative behaviour? For the teen community amassing followers on social media seems to be more important than cultivating genuine relationships but they will have to accept responsibility for their actions. 

SESTRI

North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro | 2021 | 91 min

DIRECTOR: Dina Duma

PRODUCTION: Marija Dimitrova – List Production; Added Value Films, Videa Production, Arizona Productions

CAST: Antonija Belazelkoska, Mia Giraud, Marija Jancevska, Hanis Bagashov

SCREENPLAY: Dina Duma, Martin Ivanov

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Naum Doksevski

EDITING: Martin Ivanov

SCREENING: Saturday 26.11. / 19:15h / Zaal 2 & Sunday 27.11. / 15:00h / Zaal 4

DUTCH PREMIERE

Festivals & Awards (selection)

Karlovy Vary IFF, 2021 – Special Jury Prize | Cyprus Film Days – Special Jury Award | Tallinn Black Nights FF | FEST, Belgrade 2022 – Best Director | LIFFE, 2022 – Special Mention for Acting Debut | Riviera IFF, 2022 – Best Actress | North Macedonia’s Official Submission to the 94th Academy Awards

Director’s statement

A story exploring the social media bullying phenomenon spreading amongst teenagers. We live in a time where one “click” holds great power. When I first started to write the script, I always questioned myself: Am I exaggerating with the peer violence and social media bullying? I thought that these things were happening in my generation and are now past. I was secretly hoping that somehow this new generation has evolved, but after I have done my research, I realized I was unfortunately wrong. While researching the world of adolescents, I learned that how they represent themselves on social media is more important than who they really are. I was now even more eager to make this film and open a discussion, turning the attention to this generation struggling.

Director’s bio

Dina Duma was born in 1991, in Skopje, North Macedonia. She graduated film and TV directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Skopje in 2014 and in 2016 attended Berlinale Talents. Filmography: “Elena” (2016, short), “They Come from the Center of the World” (2017, short), “Without Love” (2018, short). “Sisterhood” is her first feature film.