In the Cold Quiet
2024 · 14m · UK
Directed by Kemi Anna Adeeko
Set in Communist Bulgaria in 1988, a young Nigerian woman who secretly hosts illegal bible meetings in her home finds an unexpected romantic spark with a rebellious fellow Nigerian student, despite their clashing views on survival in a country that doesn't want them.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Two Nigerians falling for each other in 1988 Communist Bulgaria, from the director's parents' actual story — that's a setting I've literally never seen and I want it. Prime Video / NFTS gloss might smooth out what could be roughest.
Adeeko's Nigerian-in-Communist-Bulgaria scenario, drawn from her own parents' history, occupies a genuinely under-cinematic intersection. NFTS and Prime Video backing suggest production rigor; the premise alone earns substantial attention.
13:44 NFTS thesis backed by a Prime Video / National Film and Television School fund, based on Adeeko's parents' real meeting in Communist Bulgaria — that funding tier brings real production polish, and the African-diaspora-meets-Eastern-Bloc setting is genuinely rare territory for short film. Full department-head crew across the board.
Reviews
An emotionally intelligent drama that warms the heart with its positive takeaway without denying the dark historical context behind its story, making for an affecting and memorable watch.