Un minuto de gloria

This is a very skillfully made and incisive movie. Part parable, part satire, it follows the struggles of a very poor man who tries to do the right thing and then gets coldly manipulated and abused by multiple levels of a corrupt system as a "reward" for his honesty.

The story is both painful and quite funny to watch as railroad lineman Tzanko has his life upended by the machinations of a rapaciously ambitious PR demon named Julia and her squad of incompetent flunkies. The two main actors are superb in their starkly different, yet completely interdependent, roles, and the supporting cast members do a fine job portraying a motley crew of hoodlums, cowards, bureaucrats and other assorted scum.

The camera-work is very good -- it's mostly hand-held and the carefully modulated restlessness perfectly complements the edgy narrative. The editing is brilliant... somehow it lends an understated note to a story that, less deftly handled, would be too obvious, too blunt.

I almost didn't get to see this movie and feel very happy I did. It reminds me another excellent recent release, "Toni Erdmann," except that the behavior on display here is even worse and the stakes are much higher. Do yourself a favor and see "Glory."

"Glory" (2016 release from Bulgaria; 101 min.) brings the story of Tsanko. As the movie opens, Tsanko is inspecting the train tracks and along the way he falls upon a huge amount of cash laying on the tracks. He calls the police to report it. Meanwhile the Transport Ministry PR team jumps into action, eager to create a diversion from the steady stream of bad news the Ministry has been suffering. Tsanko, who has a bad stutter in his speech, is invited to Sofia by the Ministry to collect an award (a watch). At the last second, the PR manager takes off his current watch, a nice "Glory" engraved by his dad "To my son Tsanko". In the chaos of the award ceremony and subsequent reception, Tsanko doesn't get back his heirloom, so the next day he s desperate to reclaim his watch. Will he be able to retrieve it? To tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from co-writers and co-directors Kristina Grozave and Petar Valchanov, who previoulsy brought us "The Lesson". Here they create chilling, even Capra-reminding, movie about how one innocent person can become the object of a machnery (be it the state, the journalists, you name it), and the devastating effects it can cause. Stefan Denolvubov's performance as Tsanko will break your heart. All he wants is to get his old watch back, possibly the most precious of his (few) possessions. Margita Gosheva as the calculating Ministry PR manager is equally impressive, but of course hers is a very unlikable role. I must admit that in the initial third of the move, I was wondering where all if this was going. If you also start worrying, I can rest assure you that the last 45 min. of the movie will leave you astonished (I shan't say more!).

I don't think this movie ever got a US theatrical release, but thankfully Film Movement picked it up as part of its Movie of the Month Club releases, and that is how I finally got to see this. If you are in the mood for a top-notch foreign movie that takes a sharp look at the innocence of one person coming in direct conflict with a larger political machinery that will leave you shaking your head in despair, I strongly suggest that you seek out "Glory". I'm quite certain that you will agree.

I saw this film at the VIFF 2016 (Vancouver International Film Festival) without knowing much about it. The film was a pleasure from beginning to end. The story is simple but the actors Margita Goshen and Stefan Denolyubov are perfect for delivering this dark and poignant film. There are many comments about our society that anyone can relate to: corruption, media, abuse of power, etc... But what really makes the film fantastic is the ending, not for everybody's taste but it is exactly that which makes it unique. I am looking forward to see more films from these filmmakers.

It is a low budget film. With obviously restricted means of production, the filmmakers managed to describe accurately the main aspects of the everyday life in the region. The story nicely depicted the pathology of the political and social system which prevails in the Balkans and not only in Bulgaria. To my mind, the references to the European Union were excellent and clearly made the point that the idea of a united Europe is an illusion. The basic characteristics of the social attitudes and human relationships in the given environment were very well presented. The acting was convincing, but the camera work was not so good. Maybe the film will not be so appealing to audiences used to watching Hollywood super productions or audiences looking for ways to escape into an ideal imagined world. But it is a direct, honest, true and plain approach to a very interesting way of life in a very interesting part of the globe, where people struggle to improve the quality of their lives, preserving at the same time their traditional values. The impact of the above contradiction is nicely emphasized in the film.

After nearly half a century under Communist regime, countries of the former Soviet Union Block find themselves in a terrifying moral limbo: concepts such as self-worth, civic duty, integrity and compassion have been systematically eradicated in the name of Party Rule to a point where a simple act of honesty can be met with derision and disbelief.

New forces now shape the daily lives of people and their effect is most ugly to behold. Servility coupled with arrogance, total absence of empathy, corrupt practices and disdain for the rule of law or the fellow human being - these are the themes so aptly explored in this cinematic gem from Bulgaria.

The two leads are superbly cast and acted, juxtaposing old versus new morality. The story itself unfolds in the style of a Greek fable and it is this very simplicity, delivered with no frills, that packs a considerable moral punch. Don't miss!