'Under the Maple Sky,' the first feature by emerging filmmaker Lena Voronina, captured the Silver Frame Award with a poetic, slow-burning drama that defies industry trends. Shot in a remote rural village using only natural light and non-professional actors, the film carries a raw authenticity that immediately captivated the jury.

Voronina, who grew up in the same village where the film was shot, turns its abandoned farmhouses and fog-covered fields into an emotional landscape mirroring her protagonist’s grief. The film deliberately avoids fast editing and elaborate setups, embracing long, unbroken takes that encourage viewers to inhabit the silence and texture of each scene.

The narrative follows an aging carpenter struggling to rebuild his late wife’s wooden home, confronting memory, solitude, and the passage of time with quiet determination. Critics praised the film’s ability to transform a simple story into an intimate meditation on loss.

Since its festival victory, “Under the Maple Sky” has already secured multiple international distribution offers, signaling growing interest in films that prioritize emotional truth over spectacle. Voronina, now regarded as one of the most promising voices in European independent cinema, has hinted that her next project will maintain the same small-crew ethos and full artistic autonomy.