SKOPJE: Macedonian director Marija Apchevska Petrovska has started shooting Spring Cleaning / Proletnochistenje in Skopje, a coproduction between North Macedonia, Greece, Slovenia, and Serbia.
This is Apchevska Petrovska’s debut feature after her short film North Pole / Severen pol (2021), which premiered in the Short Film Competition at the Cannes Film Festival and screened at more than 150 festivals worldwide.
The story penned by Apchevska Petrovska and Erenik Beqiri follows Varava, a prodigal daughter who returns to her small hometown after her mother’s apparent suicide, only to face strange events that suggest her mother has returned from the afterlife. As she delves into the mysteries, confronting unresolved issues from the past and bonding unexpectedly with Lila, the neighbour’s teenage daughter, she rediscovers truths that force her to reevaluate her understanding of her mother and herself, ultimately leading to one last reunion.
The cast is led by first-time film actors Julia Markovska Falzon and Zoja Nikolova, joined by Macedonian actors Stefan Vujisic and Ana Kostovska, as well as Slovenian actress Nika Rozman.
The film is produced by Robert Naskov through Kino Oko (North Macedonia), in coproduction with Antigoni Rota through Foss Productions (Greece), Boštjan Ikovic through Arsmedia (Slovenia) and Miloš Ljubomirović through Servia Film (Serbia). The total budget of the film is around 580,000 EUR.
It is supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency with 260,162 EUR / 16 m MKD, the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center with 65,000 EUR, Film Center Serbia with 51,270 EUR / 6 m RSD, the Slovenian Film Center, the national television of Greece ERT, and Eurimages with 210,000 EUR. The project also previously received support from Creative Europe MEDIA, and SEE Cinema Network. It was developed and presented at Less is More, Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Labs, When East Meets West (wemw), and Cannes’ Focus COPRO, and it was also selected for the 2024 Cinema Factory of the French Institute in Cannes.
The shooting is taking place across several locations in Skopje, in June 2026.
Production Information:
Producers:
Kino Oko (North Macedonia)
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Foss Productions (Greece)
Arsmedia (Slovenia)
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Servia Film (Serbia)
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Credits:
Director: Marija Apchevska Petrovska
Scriptwriters: Marija Apchevska Petrovska, Erenik Beqiri
DoP: Konstantinos Koukoulios
Editor: Dragan von Petrović
Sound: Igor Popovski
Production designer: Kiril Spaseski
Costume designer: Lidija Andrić
Make-up artist: Mojca Gorogranc Petrushevska
Cast: Julia Markovska Falzon, Zoja Nikolova, Stefan Vujisic, Ana Kostovska, Nika Rozman
