02/06/2025 - The Bulgarian filmmaker’s debut feature is a raw and bittersweet coming-of-age tale about youth, digital ambition and modern-day solitude

Following a shoot in Sofia and the surrounding area, Bulgarian director Petar Krumov is in post-production with his debut feature, Barefoot Bull, a film that blends coming-of-age realism with a sharp critique of the pursuit of online fame. The movie is being positioned as a raw and emotionally charged exploration of loneliness, digital culture and youthful disillusionment.

Set against the backdrop of rural-to-urban migration, the story centres on Zdravko, a young farm boy desperate to escape his bleak family life. Leaving behind his struggling father, he travels to Sofia with dreams of becoming a famous influencer, hoping that his cousin Monique, a local TikTok celebrity, will help him break into the social-media world. But instead of Monique, he meets Lucy, an eccentric and ambitious copycat chasing viral fame on her own terms. As the two outsiders form a fragile connection, they plunge into the explosive world of digital stardom, experimenting with dangerous pranks, navigating romantic entanglements and confronting the emotional cost of curated identities.

Zdravko Moskov and Vera Velinova lead the cast, alongside Jacklin Docheva and Nikola Dodov. The screenplay was written by Krumov, who describes it as a contemporary yet timeless reflection on human vulnerability, yearning and folly. The director cites Francis Bacon and Robert Bresson as key influences, and his aim is to capture the inner angst of his characters through a stripped-down, visceral cinematic language.

The film was shot over 24 days between October 2024 and April 2025 at various locations in and around Sofia. The cinematography is by Georgi Georgiev, who previously collaborated with Krumov on the acclaimed shorts Shame (nominated for the European Film Awards in 2018) and Hunger (Clermont-Ferrand 2021). The editing is handled by Raquel Ferreira, with original music composed by Justine Bourgeus.

Barefoot Bull is a Bulgarian-Belgian co-production staged by Rossitsa Valkanova, of Klas Film, in co-production with Kristian Van der Heyden, of Antwerp-based Harald House. The project has received production support from the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Belgian Tax Shelter scheme and the Creative Europe – MEDIA programme. It has also secured a pre-sale with Bulgarian National Television and was awarded the top post-production prize from Romania’s Cinelab at Sofia Meetings 2024.

Post-production is expected to wrap by October 2025. Domestic distribution is set to be handled by No Blink Group in Bulgaria and Periscoop Film in Belgium, while Athens-based Heretic Outreach is managing its international sales.