Unveiling the Art World: ‘Nina Roza’ Dives Deep into Modern Art Mysteries (EXCLUSIVE)

Brussels-based company Best Friend Forever has recently acquired the rights to Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’ film “Nina Roza”, which has also been featured in Locarno’s First Look.

The plot revolves around a young Bulgarian girl, only eight years old, who is a gifted painter and becomes an internet sensation after a video of her goes viral. This catches the attention of an art collector, who sends Mihail to evaluate her artwork. For Mihail, this means returning to his native land after nearly three decades, a journey that forces him to confront his troubled past.

The movie is currently in the post-production phase and is scheduled for a premiere at the beginning of 2026. Dulude-De Celles is not new to acclaim; her first feature film “A Colony” earned her the Crystal Bear at the Berlinale, and her short film “The Cut” received an award at Sundance.

Dulude-De Celles describes “Nina Roza” as an exploration of identity and belonging through a colorful array of characters and settings, stretching from Montreal to Bulgaria. It follows Mihail, now in his sixties, on a personal and introspective journey catalyzed by young Nina’s life.

The film boasts a diverse cast from Canada, Bulgaria, and Italy including Galin Stoev, Ekatarina and Sofia Stanina, along with Chiara Caselli known for “Ripley’s Game”, Christian Begin from “The Infiltration Problem”, and Michelle Tzontchev. The production team includes editor Damien Keyeux and Director of Photography Alexandre Nour.

“Nina Roza” is particularly notable as it represents the fifth collaborative project between Dulude-De Celles and Canada’s Colonelle films, and her second project with Best Friend Forever, including a first-look still exclusive to this release.

Martin Gondre and Charles Bin of Best Friend Forever expressed their excitement about their continued partnership with Genevieve, highlighting that “Nina Roza” delves into the modern art scene and touches upon themes of self-discovery. They are eager to present it to audiences worldwide.

The production of “Nina Roza” is a collaborative effort involving multiple producers: Fanny Drew and Sarah Mannering of Colonelle Films, Lorenzo Fiuzzi and Bardo Tarantelli of Umi Films, Lubomira Piperova and Nikolay Moutafchiev of Ginger Light Films and Premier Studio, as well as Etienne and Benoit Hansez of Echo Bravo.

The film is set to be distributed in Canada by Entract Films.

Since its inception in 2019, Best Friend Forever, a sister company to Paris-based Indie Sales, has announced its fall 2025 lineup which includes films like “Egghead Republic” and “To the Victory!” by Valentyn Vasyanovych.

Other notable releases include “A Useful Ghost” by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, and “Sleepless City” by Guillermo Galoe, both winners at Critics’ Week, along with animated features “Death Does Not Exist” by Félix Dufour-Laperrière and “ChaO” by Yasuhiro Aoki.