by Alex Billington
February 11, 2026
Source: YouTube
“Is it true you came from the other side of the world?” A fascinating festival promo trailer has debuted for the compelling new film titled Nina Roza, made by filmmaker Geneviève Dulude-De Celles from Quebec. It also goes under the title Fleur bleue or Blue Flower – premiering at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival in the competition starting this week. The story follows Mihail, a Canadian immigrant from Bulgaria, who is sent to his country of origin 30 years after leaving it with his daughter Rose a long time ago… Forced to face the past he wanted to forget, he will measure the cost of their uprooting on his damaged bounds with her. There in Bulgaria he must travel to a rural region to find out if the unique paintings of a so-called child prodigy are genuine or a hoax. There he meets the young artist Nina, played by Sofia Stanina, who is strikingly similar to his own daughter Rose. The film stars Galin Stoev as Mihail, Ekaterina Stanina, Chiara Caselli, and Michelle Tzontchev. I’m always curious to watch these stories about someone investigating an artist and their authenticity, trying to find out what’s really going on while ending up on their own profound journey.
Here’s the first festival trailer (+ poster) for Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’ film Nina Roza, on YouTube:
Via Berlinale: “Mihail left Bulgaria in the 1990s after the death of his wife and raised his young daughter, Roza, alone in Montreal. Far from his homeland, he established himself as a specialist in contemporary art. Now, he is commissioned by a collector to authenticate the work of an 8-year-old girl, Nina, who is living in a Bulgarian village and whose paintings have gone viral online. Mihail hesitates but eventually agrees to undertake the journey. Meeting Nina shakes him deeply. The disarmingly mature child reminds him of Roza at the same age. During his stay in Bulgaria, he gradually makes his peace with the ghosts of his past while trying to unravel the mystery [of] Nina: is she truly the author of her work? Has someone helped her? What gives him the right to disrupt her happy life? Somewhere between the past and the present, the tangible and symbolic, Mihail’s journey becomes a cathartic one which highlights the intricate relationships between life, art, human beings. Sometimes, the journey matters more than the destination.”
Nina Roza (also known as Fleur Bleue or Blue Flower) is written and directed by Quebecois indie filmmaker Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, director of the films Welcome to F.L., A Colony, and Les Jours previously, plus other short films. Produced by Fanny Drew and Sarah Mannering. This is premiering at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival in the Main Competition. No release date is set yet – stay tuned for updates. Who’s intrigued?
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