Canadian Premiere
Sina, Jasna, and Mihrije are three best friends navigating the challenges of young adulthood in contemporary Ljubljana. While they’re each already defying familial and societal expectations to some degree, their world is blown wide open when they meet Fantasy, a mysterious trans woman with much feminine wisdom. Her appearance triggers a deep transformation, causing the trio to part ways as they explore different facets of themselves.
In this electric debut, director Kukla captures the dichotomy of girlhood’s softer and rougher edges with exceptional insight. She peppers the film with stylish, choreographed sequences that suspend time and place as it observes the finer lines of adolescent metamorphosis. Leaning on her music origins with enviable restraint, the rising filmmaker strikes a fine balance of attractive visuals and narrative depth as she brings to life a Balkan coming-of-age odyssey that also doubles as an incisive generational snapshot.
Heart of Sarajeveo for Best Actress, Sarajevo 2025
Alina Juhart, Sarah Al Saleh, Mia Skrbinac, Mina Milovanović
Slovenia/North Macedonia
2025
In Slovenian, Albanian, Serbian, Bosnian and Macedonian with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Credits & Director
Producer
Lija Pogačnik, Barbara Daljavec, Vlado Bulajić
Screenwriter
Kukla
Cinematography
Lazar Bogdanović
Editor
Lukas Miheljak
Production Design
Maja Šavc
Original Music
Relja Ćupić
Kukla
Kukla, born in 1991 in Brežice, Slovenia, is a filmmaker and musician. She graduated in film and TV directing from the Film Academy in Ljubljana in 2014. Her short film Sisters won the Grand Prix at the 2021 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and the Audience Award at Premiers Plans Angers. Her debut feature, Fantasy, participated in several development programs, including the Cinéfondation Residency, and marks her transition to long-form storytelling.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Amrum
Twelve-year-old Nanning (Jasper Billerbeck) sets himself a mission to secure bread and honey for his mother to snap her out of her depression. It is 1945. The war is all but lost, and such luxuries are not easy to find on the remote island of Amrum...
Holy Days
After his mom passes, Brian (Elijah Tamati) is comforted by Sisters Agnes, Luke and Mary Clare (Judy Davis, Miriam Margolyes and Jacki Weaver, respectively). The quirky quartet hit the road to save their convent from being sold to a property developer.
Blue Heron
In the late 1990s, eight-year-old Sasha and her Hungarian immigrant family relocate to a new home on Vancouver Island. Their fresh start is interrupted by increasingly dangerous behaviour from Jeremy, the family’s oldest child.