Directed by Stephan Komandarev, drama, 114 min, eng subtitles, 16+
Written by Simeon Ventsislavov, Stephan Komandarev
With Eli Skorcheva, Gerasim Georgiev, Rozalia Abgarian, Ivan Barnev, Stefan Denolyubov, Ivaylo Hristov
When a retired, recently widowed teacher falls prey to a sophisticated phone scam, she’s left robbed of her meagre life savings and without any money for her late husband’s grave. Her life turns upside down when she realises that there’s no way of gaining her money back, until she receives an alluring, yet suspicious offer for work.
Blaga’s Lessons meticulously vivisects the Bulgarian society, its moral crisis and the miserable position in which retired people fend for themselves after a life of loyal citizenry and contributing to a society that has shamelessly neglected them. Blaga (Eli Skorcheva, winner of Karlovy Vary Best Actress award), an elderly woman having lived by the rules all her life, finds herself on the verge of survival after she has been stripped of any dignity by the misfortune that has struck her.
An eerie suspense drama by award-winning filmmaker Stephan Komandarev, a third part of his trilogy on present-day Bulgaria after Directions and Rounds (both screened at CinEast), chronicling the painful loss of principles and values when one is confronted with the dog-eat-dog reality outside one’s window. The film won the Grand Prix in Karlovy Vary IFF’s Crystal Globe Competition.
The film will represent Bulgaria at the upcoming Oscars.
Awards
Karlovy Vary IFF 2023 (Best Film, Best Actress, Prize of the Ecumenial Jury)
Golden Rose FF 2023 (Best Feature, Best Script, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Audience Award)