Regie: Ivan Tscherkelov & Vasil Zhivkov; 127 Min., D/BG 2006 (OmU)
Wettbewerb: Golden Black Box Competition

babylon berlin:mitte, So, 19.11.2006 um 22:00 Uhr
ACUDkino, Mo, 20.11.2006 um 22:00 Uhr
Brotfabrik Kino, Mi, 22.11.2006 um 20:00 Uhr

7 Novellen aus dem heutigen Bulgarien: archaisch, kraftvoll und weise.
Angelehnt an die klassische Dramenstruktur erzählt der Film von den elementaren Dingen des Lebens. Wundervoll fotografiert.

41. IFF Karlovy Vary 2006: Spezialpreis der Jury

A huge spruce is cut down in the mountains to be used as a Christmas tree in the centre of Sofia. As it is transported across the country it becomes the link between six stories that explore the euphoric or depressive way in which their protagonists are experiencing the festive season. In these stories, men and women of different ages are unwittingly brought up against the question of the meaning of their lives, take stock of their situations and deal with them as best they can. Some with self-conscious pride, and others with humility. All of them are essentially trying to come to terms with their own disappointments and loneliness. Fate has awarded each a different degree of good or ill fortune, a different degree of insight or blindness. But also moments when the voice of conscience suggests the most drastic courses of action...The film juxtaposes the mentalities of people from different social classes and different places to offer a vivid picture of the social climate of post-socialist Bulgaria.

Ivan Cherkelov (1957) graduated in direction from VITIZ in Sofia (1982) and has written and directed the films Pieces of Love (Parcheta lyubov, 1989), Rolling Stones (Tarkalyashti se kamani, 1995), and Glass Marbles (Stakleni topcheta, 1999).

Vassil Zhivkov (1948). After studying at VGIK in Moscow (1974) he devoted himself to documentaries, was director of the Bulgarian National Film Library (1991–1998), and now works as a teacher. He has made the documentaries Sheshkingrad (1974), After the Case (Sled deloto,1978), There by the River (Tam kraj rekata, 1979), The Tigers of the Ocean (Tigrite na okeana, 1982), Days of Zheravna (Dni v Zheravna, 1982), The First 20 Years (Parvite 20 godini, 1984), Kavarna (1986), and A Satisfactory Case (Blagopoluchen luchai, 1988).