BALKAN BLACK BOX

Whether surviving as an artist in the contemporary world is worth it or just a waste of time? In Bulgaria, the life of a musician often resembles an existence within an unpredictable "Balkan black box," where nothing unfolds quite as expected. This is the story of Kottarashky, a former architect who turned into a musician. The film follows a year of his life while traveling and playing with his band and provides a rare and candid glimpse into his inner thoughts and places where time had stopped. Through enchanting music, emotional confessions, and sincere contemplation of life as it happens, we meet a colorful tapestry of characters—from a Japanese Oxford professor to merry gypsies, street musicians, and a folk pipe player living reclusively in the mountains. There is a gap in our lives. Something is missing. Maybe one can find it in the Balkan black box.