The Tale of Silyan (PG)
BREC CineSaver Pass One Pass, Five Entries: Full: $85 | Conc/Student: $75
For the best value on your cinema tickets, purchase a BREC CineSaver Pass, valid for 5 entries to any BREC International Film Festival screening in Winter 2026!
BREC CineSaver Passes can be purchased online, or via the BREC Box Office on 1300 661 272.
Use your 7-digit pass number to pre-book film screenings online – OR – present the printed or digital pass for scanning at the door of the film screening you wish to attend; attendance is subject to capacity availability.
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Director: Tamara Kotevska
Cast: Nikola Conev, Jana Coneva, Ana Coneva, Aleksandar Conev, Ilina Coneva
Classification: PG – Mild themes and suicide references
Country: North Macedonia
Genre: Documentary
Language: Macedonian, English Subtitles
Runtime: 80 mins
The Tale of Silyan
A Macedonian folktale comes to life in this poignant and visually stunning documentary which follows Nikola, a farmer grappling with the harsh realities of new government policies which leave him unable to sell his crop or his land.
When his family leaves for better work abroad, Nikola takes a job as a landfill attendant, where he encounters the white stork Silyan. He too has been abandoned by his family, left on the landfill with a broken wing. As Nikola nurses the bird back to health, an unlikely bond forms between man and animal. The result is an award winning documentary with blends folklore and realism into a lyrical story about economic migration, resilience and the quiet power of connection.
Winner | IDA Documentary Awards – Best Feature Documentary & Best Cinematography
Nominee | Producers Guild of America Awards – Best Documentary
“A lyrical and gorgeously lensed documentary hybrid that explores the interconnection between humans, animals and nature.”
– Variety
“The legend woven throughout heightens the film’s feeling of truth: The effects of young people leaving and returning on a small, close-knit community have been felt for many generations.”
– New York Times
Ticket Prices
Full: $19
Conc/Student: $17
Under 18: $12
BREC CineSaver Pass
One Pass, Five Entries
Full: $85
Concession/Student: $75
For the best value on your cinema tickets, purchase a BREC CineSaver Pass, valid for 5 entries to any BREC International Film Festival screening in Winter 2026!
BREC CineSaver Passes can be purchased online, or via the BREC Box Office on 1300 661 272.
Use your 7-digit pass number to pre-book film screenings online – OR – present the printed or digital pass for scanning at the door of the film screening you wish to attend; attendance is subject to capacity availability
Tickets & Venue Info
The BREC Film Festival Hub and Box Office open 1 hour prior to the first session of the day.
The BREC Box Office is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10am to 4pm.
If you experience any difficulties booking tickets, please contact our Box Office Team on 1300 661 272
ACCESSIBILITY For accessible bookings please contact our Box Office Team on 1300 661 272.
Are you colour blind? Experience more colour during your visit to BREC with the EnChroma Colour Accessibility Program!
Tickets sold through the BREC Box Office are subject to our Terms Of Sale.
For more information about visiting BREC please visit our FAQ’s page.
Don’t love a queue? We get it.
That’s why we’ve made it easy to buy your tickets online well before you come to the theatre. That way, you can cruise in at your own pace.
Better yet, pick up a CineSaver Pass. Five entries to any film during the festival to use however you like – and it’s $10 cheaper!
You can bring some friends, or just use them all yourself and really soak in the festival. Once you have the pass, you have the control. You can even pre-book the sessions you want online, so you know you won’t miss out.
Festival Hub
Come out of the cold and into the hearty embrace of the BREC Sky Bar as we transform it into our Festival Hub. It’s open an hour before the first screening on each day, so you can come early and indulge in a drink and your favourite movie snacks – or hang out after your film, and make some new friends with fellow film lovers.
The Festival Hub is your space to relax, unwind, and connect with some great international film.
