Review by richard-mcgeough

I wanted to enjoy A Picture With Yuki more than I did. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch it. (At the time of writing, it was showing on Netflix here in Bulgaria.)

Yes, it's flawed. The chemistry between the two leads never feels convincing. Yes, there's call for a certain awkwardness given the setting of the film. But the awkwardness on view feels more due to the two leads' limited acting abilities than to any situational awkwardness. And while I have no objection in principle to films with a languid pace, the pace of A Picture With Yuki can occasionally feel positively glacial.

Those are the obvious flaws. Yet at its best - and there are several excellent scenes - A Picture With Yuki offers a fascinating window into the troubled relationship between the Bulgarian and Romany communities in rural Bulgaria. It touches on pride, guilt, suspicion and prejudice, and features compelling, painfully human performances by a grieving Romany couple. They are the real stars of this film, not the awkward charisma-free leads.

Certainly worth watching - especially if, like us, you're visiting Bulgaria and want to understand the country and its people better.