Jiri
29/04/2021 - The debut feature by the Bulgarian filmmaker will be delivered in June for an October domestic release
With approximately 20 fiction features being produced every year, Bulgarian cinema often lacks films about teenagers. First-time director
Petya Yossifova is making steps towards a better representation of teenagers in her country’s cinema with
Jiri (working title), a musical teen drama. The film is being produced by Ars Digital Studio, represented by producer (and also the film’s DoP)
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The screenplay, written by
Nikolay Georgiev, centres around Jiri, a 20-year-old man training to compete in a marathon, Pinko, a street musician of the same age, and Lily, a high school girl who is attracted to Jiri. The three protagonists and their friends (or enemies) will face various challenges that will push them towards adulthood.
film profile]). Borislava’s passive behaviour makes her an easy prey for aggressive guys and she almost gets raped at school, which traumatises her deeply. In order to help her gain self-confidence, her grandfather signs her up for judo classes. There she discovers a whole new universe in which challenges should be met head-on.
As Milchev further elaborates, This is a film about the voluntary confrontation with problems, about active failure. Borislava collects the puzzle of her personality, so the frightened and passive girl becomes a mature person as she embraces the idea of responsibility. What makes this story important to me is the closely observed transformation of the character as she learns to face life s battles. In fact, real growth comes when this clash becomes conscious and fearless.
Philip Avramov and Lyuben Chatalov in
Uncle Christmas
After a string of popular comedies, the most recent of which being
Last Call (winner of the Audience Award at the 2020 Golden Rose Film Festival), Bulgarian director
Ivaylo Penchev is in early post-production with his new ensemble tragicomedy,
Uncle Christmas. The film is being staged by Penchev’s Cinemaq, in co-production with Bulgarian outfit Urban Media, represented by
Stoyan Stoyanov. The team hopes it will be able to release the film in December.
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The screenplay, written by
Bozhan Petrov, Penchev and
Vesel Tsankov, centres on various characters – for example, a man working as Santa Claus, a girl dreaming of walking again and a waitress caring for her ill mother – who get involved in various tragicomic situations as they go off in pursuit of what they crave most, be it family, identity, forgiveness, love, compassion or friendship.
Philip Avramov and Lyuben Chatalov in
Uncle Christmas
After a string of popular comedies, the most recent of which being
Last Call (winner of the Audience Award at the 2020 Golden Rose Film Festival), Bulgarian director
Ivaylo Penchev is in early post-production with his new ensemble tragicomedy,
Uncle Christmas. The film is being staged by Penchev’s Cinemaq, in co-production with Bulgarian outfit Urban Media, represented by
Stoyan Stoyanov. The team hopes it will be able to release the film in December.
(The article continues below - Commercial information)
The screenplay, written by
Bozhan Petrov, Penchev and
Vesel Tsankov, centres on various characters – for example, a man working as Santa Claus, a girl dreaming of walking again and a waitress caring for her ill mother – who get involved in various tragicomic situations as they go off in pursuit of what they crave most, be it family, identity, forgiveness, love, compassion or friendship.