directed by Konstantin Bojanov, road movie, 86 min, eng subtitles
written by Konstantin Bojanov, Arnold Barkus
with Angela Nedyalkova, Ovanes Torosyan, Martin Brambach
Kamen, a gaunt and moody art student, is hitchhiking across Bulgaria to the funeral of a close friend who committed suicide. When he meets the scruffy beauty Avé, a 17-year old runaway, on the side of the road, he is both intrigued and repelled by her ability to lie her way both into and out of any situation. Although Avé first claims she's on her way to visit her cancer-stricken grandmother in Ruse, her story changes so many times that in the end, Kamen decides it's best to give her the slip. But fate brings them together again and on their bumpy trip they start slowly to shed defence mechanisms, exposing feelings that lie buried beneath their hidden traumas and rebel attitudes.
In his debut film, loosely based on personal experience, director-writer Konstantin Bojanov explores, among other things, the illusion of knowing and reducing to stereotypes even those whom we cherish and love the most. Intimacy is possible, but for a short fleeting moment when caught in tight embrace two souls are united in their solitude.
Awards:
Cannes Festival 2011 - Critics' Week
Sarajevo IFF 2011 (Special Jury Prize and Cineuropa Prize)