Bulgaria's Official Academy Awards entry Best Foreign Language Film category From the director of 'The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner' Based on actual events A FILM BY STEPHAN KOMANDAREV
Synopsis Mityo has lost everything that matters to him: his wife, his work and his hopes. And now he's losing the trust of his only son, Vasko. Out of desperation, Mityo agrees to smuggle illegal immigrants from Syria through a steep mountain pass into Bulgaria. One last trip remains. Left at the mercy of the Judgment Mountain, and in desperate need of help from his ever more distant son, Mityo will soon discover if he can be forgiven for a terrible sin committed 25 years ago. ABOUT THE FILM The backdrop to The Judgment is the hauntingly picturesque Rhodope Mountains. The film features many breathtaking views of the mountains so many, in fact, that one could say that nature becomes the third protagonist of the movie. The inner struggles of a father, his complicated relationship with his son and the lonely mountains hiding secrets from the past all this lends Komandarev s latest drama a rather Nordic feel. The Judgment is therefore a Scandinavian-esque story about a man in search of reconciliation with himself and with his son. Will he make peace? The answer, of course, lies in the mountains. 2
The Filmmaker After directing one of Bulgaria s most successful films, The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner, Stephan Komandarev is back with his new feature, The Judgment. Stephan Komandarev is a Bulgarian director, producer and scriptwriter, who has a number of award-wining feature and documentaries films such as: The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner (It was the first Bulgarian film, Shortlisted for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscar Academy Award (2010), and the most world-wide theatrical released Bulgarian film ever it was distributed in 93 countries, won 35 awards from international film festivals, out of which 1/3 were audience awards); The town of Badante woman (2009, documentary), Alphabet of hope (2003, documentary), Bread over the fence (2002, documentary). His last feature film The Judgment won 10 awards from international film festivals and is the Bulgaria s entry in the foreign-language film category of the Academy Awards 2016. He currently works on two documentaries and two feature films. 3
Director s Statement I arrived at the idea for this film while shooting three documentaries in the Southeast of Bulgaria, near the spot where three borders meet Bulgarian, Greek and Turkish. I spent quite a bit of time there - I found many real stories and interesting characters. They are now in the film. During the communist period, up until twenty years ago, would-be defectors from the communist bloc were trying to escape to the West by illegally crossing Bulgaria s southern border. Today, thousands of migrants from Syria also try their luck crossing the same border, but in the opposite direction to the Promised Land of the European Union. This strange correlation between different time periods and one and the same place was what inspired me to make this film. Stephan KOMANDAREV 4
INTERVIEW with Stephan Komandarev It s about the real lives of people, not just another film about communism Bulgarian director, producer and screenwriter Stephan Komandarev has written a number of films and documentaries, including The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner, the first Bulgarian film to have been nominated for an Oscar in 2010. His latest feature film, The Judgment tells the story of the troubled relationship between Mityo, an unemployed widower, and his son Vasko, against the backdrop of the economic crisis and illegal migration flows. What made you decide to tell this story? In 2002-2003 I started exploring this very special area in south-eastern Bulgaria, on the border with Greece and Turkey, and shot three documentaries there. I spent years in the area and gathered a lot of true stories. What really interested me is that 25 years previously, during communism, a lot of Bulgarians, but also lots of people from other former communist states such as East Germany, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, crossed the border and headed towards Greece and Turkey in search of freedom, and today the same border sees waves of people going the other way, using Bulgaria as a doorway to the promised land that is the European Union. So the idea for the film came out of these documentaries For me it was important to portray the reality of life in this part of Bulgaria, where people are very poor. Sofia, a big city, is completely different. As opposed to the capital, this part of Bulgaria is one of the poorest in the country, with deserted villages, destroyed churches So in 2008, we started writing the screenplay. It took us several years, 12 draft scripts, and two screenplay programmes, one in Poland and one in Greece, before we finally got the film made. 5
All the characters in my film are real, including their names. Even the rock known as The Judgment is real, it lies on the border with Greece. The locals told me that to this day the bones and belongings of the people who were thrown off the cliff can be found at its base. For me it was important not to end up making yet another film about communism, because we ve already made lots of those, I think this was the best way of talking about it. I thought it would be better to show how communism and the past influence our current lives. Over the last 25-30 years of transition towards democracy, we ve seen the same people, or their relatives, in power. For me it was important to portray the reality of life in this part of Bulgaria. On the TV you see happy people applying for loans and buying things, but reality is very different. A few days ago a bilateral protocol on film co-production was signed between Italy and Bulgaria? What do you make of it? I think it s very positive. In periods of austerity, when the first costs that are cut relate to culture, co-production is the only way to survive in Europe. In Bulgaria we have a law on cinema that works; the Bulgarian Film Center holds four sessions a year for minority coproductions. I hope the procedure in Italy is just as clear. The Judgment is a story about immigration and the economic crisis, but it is also about the reconciliation of a man with his son and his past. How did you end up combining all these elements? In the film, it s a financial institution and its ruthless system that causes the protagonist to turn to illegality. Did you also want to highlight how this is part of the problem? There are adverts for credit institutions on TV all the time, encouraging people to take out loans. Loans which people cannot repay, especially in times of crisis, causing them to lose their houses, everything. The same thing happens in America and all over Europe, it s part of the consumer society: take the money and use it now, then we ll see what happens. I wanted to show the opposite. Where will we be able to next see The Judgment? The film has participated in various festivals and has won a number of awards. It has already been released in Bulgaria, and has been nominated in all categories for Bulgarian film awards. It s already been purchased for distribution in Germany, Greece, Macedonia, Croatia and France, and in September it will be screened in the United Kingdom at the Raindance Film Festival. The film was also selected to be Bulgaria s Official Oscar entry and will have numerous screenings around the US soon. 6
THE CAST Miki Manojlovic / The Captain MIKI MANOJLOVIC was born in 1950 in Belgrade, Serbia (former Yugoslavia). He is one of the leading theater and film actors in the Balkans and Europe. He has worked with directors such as Emir Kusturica, Goran Paskaljevic, Rajko Grlic, Danis Tanovic, Srdjan Dragojevic. His most famous roles were in the films of Emir Kusturica Father in Business (1985), Underground (1995) and Black Cat, White Cat (1998). In 2004 he was awarded the Pavle Vuisic prize for his contribution to cinema, and in 2008 the Sofia Award for his contribution to world cinema. He plays the role of Bai Dan in the previous film directed by Stephan Komanadarev The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner (2008). 7
THE CAST Ovanes Torosian / Vasko OVANES TOROSIAN graduated Acting from the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts, Bulgaria in 2009 in the class of professor Plamen Markov and Ivaylo Hristov. He has roles in several theater productions, including Billy, the liar dir. Ivaylo Hristov (2007); The Pillowman dir. Stayko Murdzhev (2009); Playing the victim dir. Ivaylo Hristov (2009); The lieutenant of Inishmor dir. Ivaylo Hristov (2010); Belgrade Trilogy dir. Ivaylo Hristov (2011); Anarchy in Bavaria dir. Abadzhieva Lily (2012); Idiot 2012 dir. Desi Shpatova (2012); Hamlet dir. Yavor Gurdev (2012). He is one of the founders of the theater Replica. Ovanes has more than 10 roles in Bulgarian feature films including False witness (in post production) dir. Iglika Trifonova, The Judgment (2014) dir. Stephen Komandarev Alienation (2013) dir.milko Lazarov, Ave (2012) dir. Konstantin Bojanov, Tilt (2011) dir. Victor Chuchkov Jr., Eastern Plays (2010) dir. Kamen Kalev. 8
THE CAST Ina Nikolova / Maria INA NIKOLOVA graduated animation at the New Bulgarian University in Sofia. Her first film role is Emily in the feature film Ketcove (aka Sneakers ) (2011). Paraskeva Djukelova / Kera PARASKEVA DJUKELOVA is a Bulgarian actress, born in Panagyurishte. In 1992 she graduates in Acting from the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Bulgaria in the class of prof. Stefan Danailov. She played more than 40 roles in the theatre and starred in more than 20 films. She won twice the Golden rose award for best actress in 1994 for her performance of Lily in Sezonat na kanarchetata and in 2004 for Izpepelyavane. She also starred in international co-productions such as Vercingétorix (2001), Air Marshal and I Am David (2003), Icon (2005, with Patrick Swayze), The Abandoned (2006), as well as TV films and series. 9
THE CAST Assen Blatechki / Mityo ASSEN BLATECHKI was born in 1971 in Sofia. In 1996 he graduates in Acting from the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Bulgaria in the class of prof. Stefan Danailov. He is one of the most acclaimed Bulgarian actors and has played more than 30 roles in the theatre and starred in more than 30 films. He began his performances on stage as a student with roles in the plays Measure for Measure, Crazy for Love, Lazaritsa, Intruders. He made his directoral debut with the play Crazy for Love, followed by Of Mice and Men, Laughter in the hall, Roberto Zuko, Forbidden for God. He has roles in many theater productions, including Richard III, The Marriage of Figaro, Three penny Opera, Master and Margarita, Blood Wedding, A Streetcar Named Desire, Leather and sky, Sex, drugs and rock and roll, Vrazhaletz, The former wife of my life and others. He also starred in many Bulgarian and foreign film productions. He played in The profit, After the end of the world, Mila from Mars, Monkeys in Winter in the television series Sea salt. In 2007 he starred in Lyudmil Todorov s Seamstresses. In 2010-2013 he plays in the popular Bulgarian TV series Glass House and The family. 10
Cast Assen BLATECHKI Miki MANOJLOVIC Ovanes TOROSIAN Ina NIKOLOVA Vasil VASILEV-ZUEK Paraskeva DJUKELOVA Meto JOVANOVSKI with the special appearance of Hristo MUTAFCHIEV Partners Crew Director Stephan KOMANDAREV written by Marin DAMYANOV Emil SPAHIYSKI Stephan KOMANDAREV Producers Stephan KOMANDAREV Katya TRICHKOVA Polly GUENTCHEVA Co-producers Alexander RIS Christine HAUPT Boris T. MATIC Vladimir ANASTASOV Angela NESTOROVSKA Executive producer Christopher BOJILOV Line producers Katya TRICHKOVA Christine HAUPT Production manager Valentin VALKOV Nicole ZSCHERNY DoP Krasimir ANDONOV Music by Stefan VALDOBREV Editor Nina ALTAPARMAKOVA Production designer Rossitza BAKEVA Costume designer Elena STOYANOVA Sound Martin WITTE Gert BLUMHAGEN re-recording mixer Matthias SCHWAB 1st assistant director Jane KORTOSHEV Make up designer Goran IGNJATOVSKI REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS STATE INSTITUTE OF CULTURE A Discovery to Share
Festivals and Awards (Selection): 2014: Sofia International Film Festival (Bulgaria) Best Bulgarian Feature Film 2014: Warsaw Film Festival (Poland) International competition 2014: Internationale Hofer Filmtage (Germany) 2014: Kolkata International Film Festival (India) 2014: Haifa International Film Festival (Israel) 2014: CinEast Central and Eastern European Film Festival (Luxembourg) 2014: Mostra Internacional de Cinema Sao Paulo (Brazil) 2014: Arras Film Festival (France) 2014: Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Estonia) 2014: Golden Rose Bulgarian Feature Film Festival (Bulgaria) Best Film and Best Actor Awards 2014: Goa International Film Festival (India) 2014: Santa Barbara International Film Festival (USA) 2015: Bulgarian Film Academy 3 Awards - Best screenwriter, Best supporting actress, Best DOP; 3 more nominations - Best feature film, Best director, Best actor 2015: SEE A Paris - 3 Awards Best film, Best actor, Best director 2015: Heartland Film Festival, Indianapolis (USA) - One of 5 nominees for the Grand prize 2015: International Film Festival Prague FEBIOFEST (Czech Rep.) 2015: Vilnius International Film Festival (Lithuania) 2015: International Film Festival Marbella (Spain) 2016: Palm Springs International Film Festival (USA) Awards Buzz Production Info Production Company International Sales US Publicist Title (International and Original): The Judgment Director: Stephan Komandarev Country of Origin: Bulgaria Production Year: 2014 Format: 2.35 : 1 Sound: Dolby Digital Genre: drama Runtime: 107 min Argo Film Ltd Stephan Komandarev Sofia 1124, Yantra str. 5, entr B, +359878308238 komandarev@abv.bg Premium Films Jean Charles Mille 6 rue Desargues, 75 011 PARIS +33142770639 www.premium-films.com MEDIAPLANpr Tatiana Detlofson 825 Brooks Ave. Venice. CA 90291 +1 310 260 2800 tatsfilm@gmail.com www.thejudgmentmovie.bg