Sales Agent Secured for Grisebach's Bulgarian Border Drama Ahead of Cannes Competition

The Match Factory has acquired international sales rights for "The Dreamed Adventure," the latest feature from director Valeska Grisebach. The film is set to premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2026.

"The Dreamed Adventure" follows a woman in a southeastern Bulgarian border town who becomes entangled in illegal trade to assist a man with whom she shares a deep connection. The story centers on her decision to undertake a dangerous journey in his place, forcing her to confront both her own desires and her past.

Grisebach wrote and directed the film, which stars Yana Radeva and Syuleyman Halil Letifov. The project is produced by Komplizen Film in collaboration with seven additional production companies across Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, and France, and received funding from multiple national and European film agencies.

Grisebach explained the film's genesis in a statement: "The starting point for this film was my encounters with people of my generation who experienced the political changes in Bulgaria in 1989. They showed me how deeply this turning point in Europe connects us — and at the same time divides us, through the different experiences that followed in the years after."

Context

This marks Grisebach's return to the Cannes competition lineup. Her 2017 feature "Western" premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes and later won the German Film Critics' Award for Best Feature Film. Her second feature, "Sehnsucht," premiered in the Berlinale competition in 2006 and collected awards at Buenos Aires, Gijón, and Warsaw film festivals.

Grisebach studied film directing at the Vienna Film Academy. Her graduation film "Mein Stern" was nominated for the Adolf Grimme Prize in 2002 and won the Critics' Award at the Toronto Film Festival, establishing her early reputation in European cinema.

What's Next

The film will have its world premiere at Cannes, where it will compete for the Palme d'Or. The Match Factory's acquisition of sales rights signals confidence in the film's international distribution potential, though specific territories and release dates have not been announced. Grisebach's track record of festival success and awards recognition suggests the competition entry could attract significant buyer interest during the festival market.