The Girl Who Wasn't Afraid of Bears

by Lea Vučko

Dekle, ki se ni balo medvedov, 2025, animated, 2D animation, digital DCP, 1,77:1 (16:9), 25, c, 20 min
Finished

SI, HR, HU

Beyond the hills and valleys, deep in the wilderness, stands a hut where a father lives with his three daughters. The elder two dare not leave home, frightened by their father's tales of a monstrous beast lurking in the forest. But the youngest daughter is different. She longs for freedom, for the unknown. When she comes of age, she grabs her father’s sword and flees into the darkness of the forest. There, she confronts the beast that haunts her sisters and defeats it—only to discover that the truth is far more complicated than she ever imagined. Unwavering, she rides into the world, where trials, dangers, and revelations await her. This is a story of courage, identity, and the unpredictable journey of self-discovery.

baseds on the book by
Dora Benčevič, Tilen Izar Lunaček, Špela Frlic
adaptation
Špela Frlic
screenwriters
Tilen Izar Lunaček, Lea Vučko
dialogues
Jasna Čakarun
script consultant
Boris Dolenc
director
Lea Vučko
producers
Jure Vizjak, Maja Zupanc
co-producers
Bella Szederkényi, Jure Bušić, Bálint Gelley, Damir Grbanović, Lea Vučko
executive producer
Maja Zupanc
lead animator
Lea Vučko
animators
Dora Pejić Bach, Toni Mlakar, Gergő Burján, Luca Sóska Soós, Virág Kiss, Vivien Csigó
music composers
Robert Pešut, Aleksander Pešut
film editor
Miha Šubic
sound designer
Julij Zornik

production
Invida
co-production
RTV Slovenija, Jaka Produkcija, CUB Animation, Octopics
in collaboration with
Film Studio Viba Film
co-funding
Slovenian Film Centre, Croatian Audiovisual Centre
distribution
Slovene Animated Film Association, Bear With Me Distribution

Invida
Jure Vizjak
info@invida.tv

Bear With Me Distribution
Lucia Dubravay Trautenberger
lucia@bearwithmefilm.com

Lea Vučko has been working in the field of visual art and animation for over 10 years colaborating on multiple projects including Špela Čadež's OITNB Netflix commission and Somewhere else – an award winning contemporary puppet play. She is the cofounder of Octopics production studio and the author of her debut shortfilm "The Legend of Goldhorn" which was screened on more than 90 film festivals and received 13 awards. She is also teaching at the Academy of Art at the University of Nova Gorica.