Draft:Winter in March
Submission declined on 10 December 2025 by TheInevitables (talk).
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Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. KKibus (talk) 12:48, 31 October 2025 (UTC)
Winter in March is a 2025 stop-motion puppet short film directed by Natalia Mirzoyan. The film follows a young Russian couple who decide to leave to Georgia after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[1] Film has received multiple awards, including the Cannes La Cinef and Sarajevo Film Festival.[2]
Synopsis
[edit]The film is based on the story of a couple from Saint Petersburg, Kirill and Dasha. When the Russian invasion of Ukraine starts, they feel guilt and sorrow for the war they do not support. While Dasha finds strength to protest, Kirill withdraws into himself, falling deeper into depression. Feeling that they no longer have a place in Russia, they decide to move to Georgia. Their journey is presented in a metaphorical environment referencing themes of war and displacement. While travelling near the Russian-Ukrainian border, they witness symbolic imagery related to the conflict. Meanwhile, their fellow travelers don’t seem to notice anything strange. Their greatest fear—being separated at the border—catches up with them from an unexpected angle.[3]
Director
[edit]Natalia Mirzoyan is an animation director and artist based in Estonia, originally from Yerevan, Armenia.[2] Mirzoyan's awarded films like Chinti [4](2012) and Five Minutes to Sea[5] (2018), were selected for the following festivals, such as Berlinale[4], Annecy[5], Hiroshima[6], Animafest Zagreb[7]. In 2022, Mirzoyan moved to Estonia to pursue a master’s degree at the Estonian Academy of Arts, focusing on puppet animation. For her Animation MA thesis, she created a voiceover study based on Winter in March, her first full stop-motion puppet film.[8]
Music
[edit]The film’s composer, Evgeny Fedorov[9], was forced to flee Russia after publicly opposing the war and being threatened and prosecuted as a result.[10] Their collaboration gives Winter in March a personal and politically urgent voice. Evgeny Fedorov is the frontman of the Russian alternative rock band Tequilajazzz.[11]
Awards
[edit]Winter in March had its world premiere in May 2025 in the Festival de Cannes La Cinef section, where it won the 3rd prize (ex aequo).[12] The film was named an Uppsala Short Film Candidate for the European Film Awards' European Short Film – Prix Vimeo 2027.[13]
| Festival | Award | Year | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Festival de Cannes | 3rd Prize La Cinef (ex aequo)[12] | 2025 | France |
| Animist Tallinn | International Professional Competition Grand Prix[14] | 2025 | Estonia |
| Sarajevo Film Festival | Heart of Sarajevo award for Best Short Film[15] | 2025 | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Siam International Animation Festival in Thailand | Grand Prix[16] | 2025 | Thailand |
| Fantoche – International Festival for Animated Film | Audience Award International Competition[17] | 2025 | Switzerland |
| Philadelphia Film Festival | Honorable Mention for Best Short Film[18] | 2025 | USA |
| ReAnimania International Animation Film & Comics Art Festival | Lev Atamanov Prize[19] | 2025 | Armenia |
| Tehran International Animation Festival | Golden Leaf for Best Animated Film[20] | 2025 | Iran |
| Feinaki Beijing Animation Week | Grand Prix[21] | 2025 | China |
| Cinanima | Special Mention for Student Films[22] | 2025 | Portugal |
| Blue Danube Film Festival | BEST Animation Blue Danube[23] | 2025 | Austria, Hungary, Slovakia |
Production
[edit]Winter in March was developed and filmed at the Estonian Academy of Arts from 2023 to 2025. Estonian film studio Rebel Frame and Armenian studio ArtStep-studio joined as producers in 2023. The film is produced by Rebel Frame (Estonia, majority producer) in collaboration with ArtStep-studio (Armenia), the Estonian Academy of Arts, Black Boat Pictures (France), and White Boat Pictures (Belgium).[24]
References
[edit]- ^ "Winter in March de Natalia Mirzoyan (2025) - Unifrance". en.unifrance.org. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ a b "Estonian Film Database". efis.ee. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "Baltic Film Magazine 2/2025". Issuu. 2025-05-06. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
- ^ a b "Berlinale Archive Programme | Programme". www.berlinale.de. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ a b CITIA. "2019 Official Selection". www.annecyfestival.com. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ Hiroshima, International Animation Festival. "HIROSHIMA 2012(14th)". International Animation Festival Hiroshima. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "Animafest Zagreb". www.animafest.hr. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "TASE25". tase.artun.ee. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
- ^ "The snow is coming - Eesti Filmi Instituut". Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "Musician Evgeny Fedorov in ICORN residence in Stockholm - ICORN - International Cities of Refuge Network". www.icorn.org. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "Evgeny Fedorov ‹ Konstepidemin". konstepidemin.se. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ a b "WINTER IN MARCH". Festival de Cannes. 2025-05-22. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "Home". Short Film Festival. 2025-09-09. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "ANIMIST TALLINN – International Animation Festival". Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "Awards of the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival". sff.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "Awards". SiamANIMA. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "Awards-2025". fantoche.ch. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
- ^ "THE 34TH PHILADELPHIA FILM FESTIVAL JURY COMPETITION WINNERS". October 24, 2025.
- ^ Peyotto.com. "For the 17th time, "ReA" brought the best figures of animation to Armenia: the award winners are known". en.aravot.am. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "Tehran Short Film Festival awards winners at closing ceremony". en.irna.ir. IRNA. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ^ "AWARD_WINNING_WORKS_2025_EN — Feinaki Beijing Animation Week". feinaki.com. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
- ^ "Awards 2025". Cinanima. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
- ^ "WINNERS - bluedanube". www.bluedanubefilmfestival.hu. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
- ^ "Estonian Film Database". efis.ee. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
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