Whispered Mercy
by Martin Turk
Tiha milost, 2026, fiction, digital DCP, 2,39:1/2,35:1, 25, c, 91 min
SI, IT, HR
Upcoming
Set in a remote village on the Slovenia–Italy border, the story follows Nadia, a successful Italian lawyer of Slovenian origin, who returns to her hometown after years of absence to pay a final visit to her dying grandmother. Suspended between two cultures and two identities, she is soon drawn back into a close-knit community she once left behind, and what begins as a simple farewell unfolds into a deeply personal journey shaped by ancient traditions and buried family secrets.
Martin Turk's feature films include FEED ME WITH YOUR WORDS (Tallinn, 2012), GOOD DAY’S WORK (Busan, 2018) and DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE (Rome – Alice nella Citta, 2019). His short films include A SLICE OF LIFE (Premiers Plans d'Angers, Best Slovenian Short Film 2006), EVERY DAY IS NOT THE SAME (Cannes Directors' Fortnight 2008), STEALING THE CORN (Palm Springs International ShortFest, 2010), A WELL-SPENT AFTERNOON (Oberhausen SFF, Promotional Award Children's Film Competition, 2016), and AROUND …
Like Nadja, I belong to the Slovenian community living in Italy. This film is therefore deeply rooted in my own experience of growing up between two cultures and languages, and of leaving that community at a certain point in my life—a departure that placed me in a lasting state of in-betweenness, both belonging and not belonging at the same time. It is an identity that can feel confusing and contradictory, while returning to such a close-knit community after years of absence can be both disturb…
Bela Film was founded in 1998 and has since become one of Slovenia’s leading production companies. Its portfolio includes over 35 titles, recognized at major festivals such as the Berlin IFF, Cannes Directors' Fortnight, Oberhausen ISFF, IDFA, and Clermont-Ferrand ISFF, among others. The company’s managing director and producer is Ida Weiss, a member of EAVE, ACE Producers, EWA Network, and the European Film Academy.