mstav48
Being a Bulgarian who has all but a few years outside of Bulgaria, I am always interested in watching Bulgarian cinema. Most of the time i am disappointed. Its always the same actors playing more or less the same role in the very cliché Bulgarian way; rigid and straightforward so that you cant buy into their character and you can tell they are acting. Oftentimes the roles of the characters don't change much. Characters are bland, Men are either dopey drunken alcoholics with a sense of humor or far too serious, while women are either whores or overly needyI watched the movie and I was shocked, The characters were so vibrant and original, in fact a lot reminded me of friends I have in Bulgaria, the acting fluid and I didn't see them acting instead they looked so natural as if they were playing themselves. The movie is about growing up in Bulgaria. One brother rebels against his parents, starts hanging out with soccer hooligans, and slowly beginning to become detriment to society. The other older brother is emerging from that lifestyle, fighting a drug addiction, and trying to put his life back together with art. Each battles on their own, but maintain an active relationship. The two worlds and brothers meet one fateful night and their paths are altered forever. So I watched the the entire credits hoping to see a friend or someone I knew in them( as many of my friends work in film studios in Bulgaria), and at the end there was a dedication to Christo, The guy who played the main character also named Christo. Turns out the reason that the actors seemed so natural is that most of them were not actors, including Christo,(the main actor, who died of a drug overdose in the middle of filming) but rather the people in Christos life, including his girlfriend. In fact the movie was more or less based on his life, and when the director couldn't find anyone to play Christo, he just got Christo to play himself.All in all the movie is really worth watching...whether you are Bulgarian or not.
Muldwych
The long, twilight struggle of existence in a violent, directionless world is the premise of 'Eastern Plays', a Bulgarian film that comments as much about that country's society as it does about society in general. The story is told from the perspective of two brothers, Christo and Georgi, one in his thirties and recovering from drug addiction, the other young and impressionable, yet both staring into the abyss with only impenetrable darkness staring back. By turns, they fight and fall into meltdown as the chaotic world around them offers little meaning to guide them toward happiness and purpose. The premise of Kalev's tale is certainly sound, however in practice, I found the delivery fairly disjointed and listless. It is peppered with touching and thought-provoking studies of human frailty, but ultimately does not really pull together as an entertaining whole.One of the principal difficulties I had with 'Eastern Plays' is its lethargic beginning, and a fairly rudderless one as well. A raft of characters is introduced; all pursuing their own paths to destruction, but there is no real clue as to either whom the story will principally focus upon, or what that story really is. Possibilities include a young man's descent into gang violence, nationalism and politically-supported anti-immigration riots, family breakdown, and the generation gap. Then there is Christo, an unpleasant, self-loathing, chain-smoking artist, staring oblivion in the eye and desperate to pull himself away from it yet lost as to how. Ultimately, it becomes clear that 'Eastern Plays' is his story, and as he battles his inner demons, the many layers of his character come to the fore and a more sensitive, highly-pensive character is revealed.One could certainly argue that there is no reason why a film couldn't contain all the above elements with multiple character arcs lightly intertwined with each other and the sum of the parts being a comment on some aspect of the human condition. The Bolivian film 'Sexual Dependency', to name but one, manages this sort of approach fairly well. However, whereas 'Sexual Dependency' triumphs because all the parts slot into place within the greater commentary, 'Eastern Plays', attempting to do the same, fails because the result is hazy and the various sequences somehow more drawn out and dull in the process. In hindsight, it seems far clearer that Kalev's approach to the first half of the film was to fill the canvas with the wider problems of society so that the viewer will see Christo's pain as a microcosm of that shared by the nation as a whole. Seemingly germane, there is however too much of this, thereby causing narrative incoherence: is the film about him or is it about Bulgaria? It is in the second half, when Christo's story becomes the dominant narrative, that things begin to pick up. Love interests and family become soundboards for attempts to make sense of everything, and these prove to be the more interesting sections of the film. It is the character interactions themselves rather than merely the occasional philosophical debate that shows humanity finding understanding and balance that are especially touching, although those brief philosophical debates do sum up the themes quite nicely.There is much to recommend on the acting front. Ovanes Torosian as gang member-wannabe Georgi does a very good job of portraying the confused adolescent whose inner turmoil is more evident in his eyes and quietude than his dialogue. Highly memorable also is the lovely Saadet Aksoy, a young and intelligent woman able to bridge the gaps between worlds despite fear and who is able to put voice to the social discord. The scenes between her and Christov are among the most engaging of all in Eastern Plays, save for some other touching moments where Christo puts voice to his fear and aspirations, and a scene near the end where he encounters an old man filled with the tranquility of understanding that Christo so desperately yearns for. The late Christo Christov is eminently believable as his namesake: bored of social expectation, longing for something more, and frustrated when it fails to materialize. It's a great shame that 'Eastern Plays' is both Christov's debut and finale to the acting world, and an even greater shame that the film's narrative disarray can't fully match up to his performance.The character of Bulgaria itself, as depicted, is cold, lifeless and bleak. It is violently insecure as it struggles to define its own national identity, its citizens borne of both the Soviet nation it once was and the unsure republic it is today. The elderly cling to the orderly past, the young embrace the chaotic present, yet neither are happy. A line from Georgi, however, implies that the changes are for the better, implying that the Bulgaria of today is perhaps simply experiencing the birth pains of a new nation, though a generation will be lost to the uncertainty of transition as a result.All of which brings us full circle: there are plenty of great and interesting themes explored in 'Eastern Plays', with the actors more than able to realise them within their believable and fragile characters. The lack of a tighter, more focused narrative, which dulls the pacing and fogs up the intent of the piece, is the biggest culprit. That Kalev is passionate about the subjects presented is very much in evidence, as is the fact that when it comes down to really exploring them through his characters, he is quite skilled at doing so. Here though, he tries to say too much at once, enshrouding the result in fog as a result. When he masters clarity and restraint, however, there is much to suggest his work will be something memorable indeed.
benign_hypocrite
Eastern Plays, directed and written by Kamen Kalev a young and rising director, is set in Sofia the capital city of Bulgaria. The main character is a former drug addict Christo played by Christo Christov. Christo confronts many problems in his life as he is searching for some meaning in a strange and unfriendly world. The main characters Christo and his brother Georgi worry about their umeaningful lives. Christo finds resort in alcohol and his art on the other hand Georgi joins a fascist skinhead gang because he just wants to belong somewhere. Obviously the two brothers have very much in common and they are trying to find a meaning in a world that seems so volatile and sometimes hostile too. The film shows to us that human beings deserve a better way of life without hostilities between men, a life where love and respect will reign and this can be achieved only by young people such as Christo, Georgi and Ishil because most of the adults are lost in their problems and totally compromised with this unfriendly way of life.Eastern Plays covers many of the problems young people face in society today. Drug addiction, racist gangs, generation gap, the need to belong somewhere. This is all done in a realistic way with which most of us can identify. Christo Christov and the other actors too are brilliant in their roles and convincing in the emotions they portray throughout. Of course there are some flaws in the film. Moreover the absence of a concrete and stable scenario. To a certain extent the film is predictable and it doesn't surprise you with sudden changes. The dialogs also could be better and more extensive in ideas. Overall the film was good and it's a pity that many of s don't know about the Balkan cinema scene and particularly the Bulgarian cinema scene. I think and I hope that job such as that film will encourage new directors from Bulgaria to express their ideas and their feelings through filming.
Krasimira Karamfilova
Just watched Eastern Plays.. Guys this movie is s*it! I hate to say it with respect to Christo Christov(God rest his soul) whose performance was maybe the only good thing about the movie. I am so tired of all those "intellectual wanna-be" Bulgarian movies, that are made to be understood only by the author and need at least half an hour explanation. It is enough to read the synopsis, don't waste time to watch the whole thing. The original concept is good, so I cant believe the director was so bad that he couldn't manage to develop it. It was hard for me to watch it till the end and I was skipping through the numerous times when nothing was happening, which was half of the movie!!!.. And don't you dare to tell me I didn't understand it, it is true, I did not. There was nothing in this movie that will make me use my brain to understand the concept of it. It was the same pointless depressing reel that we're so used to watch("Shivachki"). The soundtrack was good (Nasekomix), but it wasn't well used. After watching "The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner" and "Zift", I thought there's still a future for Bulgarian cinema.. but honestly Eastern Plays brought me back to the reality. I will still however see Mission London. Wish me luck on this one =D Overall, if I could give this movie less than a star, I would've. I think that eastern European nationalism(which apparently the movie should be condemning) created this whole euphoria in Bulgaria over the movie, which I understand, but I don't think it's an actual reason to give a higher score for this movie. Still.. Rest In Peace Christo Christov
