Nat Geo’s “The Tale Of Silyan” Trailer Released
Disney has announced details on a new National Geographic documentary film, “The Tale Of Silyan”, which follows Nikola, a farmer in rural North Macedonia grappling with the harsh realities of new government policies, who finds himself unable to sell his land or crops. When his family leaves in search of a better life abroad, Nikola takes a job as a landfill attendant, where he discovers the injured white stork Silyan. As he nurses the bird back to health, an unlikely bond forms between man and animal. The result is a deeply moving film that touches on climate change, economic migration, resilience and the quiet power of connection.
The film offers a meditation on humanity’s connection to the environment. Through the use of a traditional fable, it explores the healing power we find in our relationships with our community and the natural world around us.
The award-winning documentary will be released in select theatres in the United States on November 28th 2025, and in cinemas in the United Kingdom on December 12th 2025.
This documentary is being distributed by Picturehouse in North America and Dogwoof internationally. The film, which hails from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Tamara Kotevska (“Honeyland”) and executive produced by Davis Guggenheim, Concordia Studio, The Corner Shop and Ciconia Film, premiered at the Venice Film Festival to universal critical acclaim.
Tamara Kotevska said in a statement regarding the release:
“This film is very close to my heart. Silyan, the one stork we follow, represents many – each carrying their own journey of survival and return. It’s a story that took time, patience and love to make. Working with Jean Dakar, whose cinematography brings the world of the film to life in such a breathtaking and deeply immersive way, has been an incredible collaboration.”
Carolyn Bernstein, EVP of Documentary Films at National Geographic, added:
“We are delighted to partner with Tamara, having been big admirers of her beautiful debut film ‘Honeyland. Working with talented cinematographer Jean Dakar, she has created a true original, blending social issue vérité and stunning nature cinematography with a poetic fable. THE TALE OF SILYAN is an unforgettable and uplifting ode to love, empathy and the healing power of nature.”
The film will roll out in North Macedonia and other international territories at later dates, with Restart releasing it in Croatia on January 8th 2025 with plans to expand in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia; Imagine Entertainment releasing in Belgium and the Netherlands on January 29th 2025; additional territories, including with Madman in Australia and New Zealand, as well as So Films in Poland are yet to be dated.
Kotevska and Dakar (who doubles as cinematographer) produce for Ciconia Film, alongside The Corner Shop’s Anna Hashmi, as well as Jordanco Petkovski. The film is executive produced by Concordia Studio’s Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”), Laurene Powell Jobs, Casey Meurer and Lizzie Fox, as well as National Geographic Documentary Films’ Carolyn Bernstein and Tim Horsburgh. Martin Ivanov is editor, and Joe Wilson Davies and HunOuk Park composed the music.
No Disney+ release details have been revealed yet, though with Picturehouse and Dogwoof distributing the movie, it might not necessarily get a Disney+ release in the future. Hopefully, Disney also acquired the streaming rights for the film, since National Geographic is involved.
Are you going to be checking out “The Tale Of Silyan”? Let me know on social media!
