Forget dogs — in The Tale of Silyan , man’s new best friend is the stork. The lyrical documentary from Oscar nominee Tamara Kotevska ( Honeyland ) returns to her North Macedonia home in crafting the portrait of 60-year-old Nikola Conev, a hardworking farmer struggling to keep his family afloat amid harsh environmental conditions and government intervention. The film potently speaks to universal concerns around the impact of climate change and the brutal economic realities being faced by rural communities, but its most distinctive aspect — the bond that develops between Nikola, after his family leaves for better opportunities abroad, and the film’s titular wounded stork — is anything but a downer.

Forget dogs — in The Tale of Silyan , man’s new best friend is the stork. The lyric

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