V krăg

This film is a comedic drama about the night shift of several police patrols in the Bulgarian capital. The genre-rich mixture of intertwined stories, which are part chilling and tragic and part funny, or even anecdotal, will stand up as a glimpse into a freak show of different characters and as a socio-political critique of society. (04.01.2021)

I remember that Bulgarian cinema had such a bad reputation during the time period of true socialism that its film production rarely reached other communist countries as part of the cultural exchange of "friendly" countries. Even the 90s did not bring change. I mean what can you expect after wild privatization in the Balkan region...? Since then, I have had a tendency to look at Bulgarian productions with a certain distrust and even contempt. Komendarev's film showed me how misleading it is to approach films with prejudice. It has a well-crafted screenplay that cleverly balances several genres. We follow three police patrols during a demanding night shift and their adventures bring the viewer an unflattering message about the state of Bulgarian society 30 years after the fall of communism, when the country is trapped in a depressive cycle of poverty, corruption, brain drain, and the arrogance of the powerful. Tragedy alternates with comedy, hopelessness with moments of hope. The film does not bore whatsoever and belongs to those rare moments when you say to yourself that it is worth searching for gems among the trash. Overall impression: 90%. (10.02.2021)