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Filmmaker Stephan Komandarev, whose credits include two previous Bulgarian Oscar entries including the shortlisted The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner, wrapped a movie trilogy about the social ills of post-communist society with Blaga’s Lessons, about the harrowing journey of a retired teacher through the dangerous world of phone scams.
Taking care of his elderly parents over the past decade inspired Komandarev to take a closer look at the plight of retirees.
“This is the generation of our parents, and they became the biggest victim of the process of transition (from communism to democracy) that is already 30 years; somehow they lost the dignity of their last years,” he said during an interview for the Argo Films movie at Deadline’s Contenders Film: International.
He hopes the film and its shocking ending will provoke discussion about “the chronic problem” of how society treats its elderly and help bring in a positive change.
“It’s a question of dignity, to keep the dignity of these people,” he said.
The film, starring 1980s Bulgarian movie star Eli Skorcheva in her return to the screen after 30 years, premiered at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival where it won Best Film and Best Actress, and has since collected a slew of other festival prizes.
RELATED: Deadline’s Contenders International – Full Coverage
In the movie, Skorcheva acts without a shred of makeup, wearing only moisturizer.
“The role demanded it, the film requires it,” she said. “The alternative would’ve been unrealistic, we would’ve been lying.”
For the remarkable story of how a dog park visit led to Skorcheva’s casting in Blaga’s Lessons and the odd jobs she needed to work in order to provide for herself during her three decades of exile from acting, read Deadline’s profile of her.
As for Komandarev, next up for the prolific filmmaker is Made In the EU, another provocative social drama about the exploitation of female Bulgarian seamstress by some of fashion’s top labels.
Check back Monday for the panel video.
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