Unshattered
Лена и Владимир
Genre: Fantasy-thriller
Released: 2023
Running time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Director: Igor Aleksov
Screenplay: Aleksandar Rusjakov
Producers: Dejan Iliev, Ilija Ciriviri
Leading roles: Tony Naumovski, Sara Klimoska, Deniz Abdula, Petre Arsovski
When a mysterious man with a tragic secret shelters a young runaway girl with an abusive past, their unlikely bond challenges them to overcome their haunting past and to find hope in an unexpected place.
Director Information:
Igor Aleksov
Igor Aleksov is a film director from Skopje, North Macedonia, born on November 12, 1980. He holds a Master’s degree in Film and TV Directing from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA) "Krastyo Sarafov" in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Throughout his 18-year career, Igor has been an active contributor to the film industry in North Macedonia, working as a director and assistant director on numerous short and feature-length projects. One of his short films, Supporting Role, has won five international awards.
His feature debut, Lena and Vladimir, which will be screened at the second Novi Sad Film Festival, was released in 2023. He is currently in pre-production on his second feature film, Bare Hill.
A quiet disfigured man lives in self-imposed exile in a magical secluded forest where it's spring all year around. His solitude is disrupted when he meets Lena, a young girl fleeing abuse at the hands of Criminals. Reluctantly, he allows her to stay and an unlikely bond occurs. As Lena's presence awakens long-dormant emotions in him, they both begin a journey of healing. However, their fragile peace is threatened when Lena's abusers come searching for her, forcing him to confront his past which may well end in violence and death.
AWARDS
NYLA International Film Festival: Audience Award for Best Feature Film and Jury Award for Best Film.
Universal Film Festival: Jury Award for Best Film.
Concepcion Independent Film Awards: Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature.
WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival: Two Gold Remi Awards: one for Features Foreign and one for Best Special Effects Makeup.
Golden Harvest Film Festival (Tokyo): Jury Award for Best Drama.
Vero Beach Wine & Film Festival: Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature and Jury Award for Best Feature Film.
New York Istanbul Short Film Festival: March Award for Best Feature Film.
Best Actor: Tony Naumovski won this award at the International Film Festival Cine del Mar in Uruguay and the Montelupo Fiorentino International Independent Film Festival.
Best Actress: Sara Klimoska won this award at the Dea Open Air International Film Festival and the South East European Film Festival in Paris.
Best Director: Igor Aleksov received this award at the Eastern Europe Film Festival.
Best Original Score: Composer Darko Spasovski was awarded at the International Moving Film Festival and nominated for the Rome Prisma Independent Film Awards.
Best Cinematography: Dusan Kardalevski was recognized at the International Moving Film Festival and Dea Open Air International Film Festival.
Best Makeup: Goran Ignjatovski won for Best Special Effects Makeup at WorldFest-Houston and for Best Makeup at the Montelupo Fiorentino International Independent Film Festival.