15
Feb
2023

"Memoir of a betrayal" by Georgi Dyulgerov and "Spring Equinox" by Ivan Pavlov - with premieres at the 27th SFF in March

Georgi Dyulgerov's new feature film is based on the epic "Notes on the Bulgarian Uprisings" by Zahari Stoyanov. The 94-minute historical narrative brings to the front the story of Georgi Benkovski's betrayal and death and Zahari Stoyanov's meeting with Grandfather Valiu ten years later. The film raises the themes of forgiveness, memory, and the free spirit.

The plot follows Zahari Stoyanov and three friends, accompanied by mounted gendarmes, who go to arrest the traitor Grandfather Vallyu. Zachary recalls Benkovski's last days: his first meeting with Grandpa Valyu, his gradual change to end up in the traitor's trap, where four fugitives encounter a Turkish ambush. Benkowski is killed, and only Zachary is saved. At Benkovski's burial place, the gendarmes are about to arrest Grandfather Valyu, but Zachary decides to pardon the traitor. 

The idea for "Memoir of a betrayal" was born when, years ago, in a TV competition with questions, the participant, a high school teacher, did not know how Benkovski died. "When I heard this I was very angry, downright furious. The next day I sat down, opened "Notes" and wrote the first version of the script, because for me "Notes on the Bulgarian Uprisings" is the Bulgarian bible," says Georgi Dyulgerov.

In the main roles in the film are Plamen Dimov - in the image of Georgi Benkovski, Ivan Nikolov is Zahari Stoyanov, and Ivaylo Hristov - the traitor grandfather Valyu. Key characters in the film are also Father Kiril (Tsvetan Alexiev), Neyu (Krasimir Dokov), and Stefo the Dalmatian, played by George Arabadzhiyski. The cinematographer of the film is Veselin Hristov, the production designer is Georgi Todorov-Jozi, Stamena Stoeva makes her debut as a costume designer, and the music is by Mila Iskrova.

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After "A Memory of Fear" (2016), Ivan Pavlov is again making a film based on a script by Krassimir Krumov-Gretz, and unlike the variety in spring shades of colors, he chose to make his "Spring Equinox" in black and white. 

The plot revolves around three humorous but bitter stories that become an existential drama in the lives of little people forced to bear everything with dignity and find meaning in the absurd. The acceptable way to present this is through the means of reality, rawness, honesty, tight dialogue, and documentary simplicity.

Ivan Pavlov consciously alternates day and night, light and darkness in the existence of his characters. They are so ordinary that the main ones are even nameless; they are confused, lost in time, and in themselves, troubled and frightened by their uncertain future. Ivaylo Hristov, Svetlana Yancheva, Ivan Savov, and Krassimir Dokov take on the characters of these people. The cinematographer is Emil Hristov. 

At the 40th Golden Rose Bulgarian Feature Film Festival 2022, the film "Spring Equinox" was awarded the Special Jury Prize, the Diploma for Svetlana Yancheva, and the Critics Guild Award for Feature Film.


We look forward to seeing you at #CINEMA! 
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