Review by major

In this free adaptation of 'The Iron Candlestick', the first part of Dimitar Talev's celebrated trilogy, Todor Dinov and Christo Christov resort to a highly expressive visual style. They recreate moments of the National Revival period in Macedonia (end of 19th century), a time when the awakening began of the national consciousness of the Bulgarian people. Raphe Klinche, a confirmed Christian and wood-carver, is seen against the backdrop of a series of rites and rituals (childbirth, wedding, death) and major social events (replacing the Greek language by the Bulgarian in church services). He dreams to complete the iconostasis for the new church in the town of Prespa. The freedom-loving master-carver lives at a time marked by a revolutionary upheaval, but also by deep-rooted patriarchal traditions. All does not understand his art, and his love affair with Katerina becomes a victim of dogmatic way of thinking of Sultana who causes the death of her own daughter. Rafe is despondent, but senses the imminent onset of events of major national significance. This is a film about freedom-loving artist who is trying to discover the truth through beauty and is helping his fellow countrymen overcome their slavish submissiveness.