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PRODUCTION / FUNDING Bulgaria

Orlin Milchev's feature debut The Art of Falling in post-production

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- Elena Zamyarkova, Alexandra Surchadzhieva and Ivaylo Hristov star in a first feature by the Bulgarian filmmaker, who triumphed locally four years ago with his graduation short

Orlin Milchev's feature debut The Art of Falling in post-production
Elena Zamyarkova in The Art of Falling

Ever since young and promising Orlin Milchev presented his short Dobry in the Jameson Short Film Competition at the Sofia International Film Festival in 2017, portraying the encounter between a shepherd and an illegal refugee in the Bulgarian mountains, the local film industry has been impatient to see his full-length debut. The Art of Falling [+see also:
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trailer
film profile
]
, produced by Geopoly (Crazy Day, Prima Primavera [+see also:
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]
, Miracle
 [+see also:
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interview: Eglė Vertelytė
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]
) has just wrapped shooting and entered the editing stage, aiming for a release at the beginning of next year. According to producer Pavlina Jeleva, the budget is approximately 320,000 EUR, two thirds of which have been provided by the Bulgarian National Film Center. The film was shot for three weeks in the city of Sofia during March and April 2021 and in parallel with the development of the third COVID-19 pandemic wave, however without incidents of infection within the team or practical obstacles due to restrictions.

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The coming-of-age plot features introverted and sensitive teenager Borislava (Elena Zamyarkova, best known for her supporting role in Sister [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Svetla Tsotsorkova
film profile
]
) growing up with an absent-father, her alcoholic and bipolar mother (theatre and TV actress Alexandra Surchadzieva, also appearing in Seamstresses), and her caring grandfather (acclaimed actor and film director Ivaylo Hristov, known for Losers [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ivaylo Hristov
film profile
]
and Fear [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ivaylo Hristov
film profile
]
). Borislava’s passive behaviour makes her an easy prey for aggressive guys and she almost gets raped at school, which traumatises her deeply. In order to help her gain self-confidence, her grandfather signs her up for judo classes. There she discovers a whole new universe in which challenges should be met head-on.

As Milchev further elaborates, "This is a film about the voluntary confrontation with problems, about active failure. Borislava collects the puzzle of her personality, so the frightened and passive girl becomes a mature person as she embraces the idea of ​​responsibility. What makes this story important to me is the closely observed transformation of the character as she learns to face life's battles. In fact, real growth comes when this clash becomes conscious and fearless."

The script was developed by experienced writer Marin Damyanov (Corpse Collector [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, Goodbye, Johnny [+see also:
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film profile
]
) and TV and advertising copyrighter Neda Filcheva, however it has undergone many transformations during the filming process in a free spirited search for the right direction, generously allowed by Geopoly. The cinematography was delegated to masterful cameraman Emil Hristov, who has been pursuing documentary aesthetics by using a hand-held camera, natural light and long continuous shots.

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