Vreme na nasilie

The movie is indeed one of the biggest Bulgarian classics. As they say, if you're Bulgarian, you must have watched it. And if your heart doesn't tremble when you watch it, you're not a Bulgarian.

On the other hand, I like very much one quote from one of its resumes: "The film is painted on a large, sweeping canvas, with many characters and subplots, all cleverly woven into a single story. And, surprisingly, this isn't a "vile Turk" story. Director Ludmil Staikov has much more ambitious goals, including an examination of the power of religion and of the destructiveness of violence and fanaticism. Not all of the Christians are good, nor all of the Muslims bad." And I agree with this, the movie is not black and white - neither in real colour, nor in character's colour. Even the "most evil characters" have their inner struggles and their reasons, while even the "nicest characters" have their flaws and weaknesses. Like all human beings...

So, the script is great, the acting is great, the music is touching, the scenery is magnificent - no wonder this is one of the very few Bulgarian movies (if not the only one), which have foreign subtitles in its DVD set.

P.S. Indeed, the movie is definitely not for minors, not only because of the scenes of violence, but also because they would hardly understand its true meaning.

As a Serb, I always wonder why my country never made any movie about islamisation of Balkans through 14-20 century. Then I stumble on this Bulgarian epic. For anyone who want to explore darkest moments from history of Bulgarians, Serbs, Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians & other nonmuslim nations under Turkish government, this is a must see film. But the best thing in this movie is solution which he offers. You begin to understand it in last quarter of movie when things begins to unravel. And at least for me, priest in this movie is one of the best clerics I ever watch. I strongly recommend it to everyone except to those stubborn (crypto)jihadist, who may get sick from it (which can be actually good reason for them to watch), and who think that Turkish occupation is second best thing in world history.

The best Bulgarian movie ever made-well,there is a lot of propaganda of course,but still the movie is excellent.Bulgarians must remember their history and origins.The performance of Karaibrahim and the priest is very good and the soundtrack is not bad also.I have never seen a movie like this made in the neighbour countries of Yugoslavia,Romania or even Greece.I guess the communist regime injected a big amount of money in this project-everybody knows that at this time half a million ethnic Turkish Bulgarian citizens were forced to leave the country and the other part were repressed,names changed.Still it is a really emotional artwork!

What could i say about this magnificent movie? This is the story about courage people, who live between the Orient and the West Europe. There is no place like that and if you see this movie you will understand that. In the end of 14th century the Bulgarians lost their independence. The conquerors are Osman Turks. Their device is " Burn, kill and destroy "! Before them the Bulgarians have the strongest and most powerful country on the Balkans and in all East Europe. Their culture is advanced, they have the first alphabet among the Slavs. Now a lot of the Slavs have their Cyrillic alphabet- Serbs,Rusians,Ukranians,Belarusians,Macedonians( that belong to the Bulgarian ethnic group )and else.They defend bravely and selflessly their territories but finally lost the war.The Bulgarians are orthodox Christians but the Turks are Muslims.Important part of the aggressor's politics is to convert Bulgarians to Mohamme-denims,because only thereby they could become the slaves of Turk's empire. So,this will be the the biggest hardship for this breve and selfless Balkan people. Shell they survive and defend their culture and lives you will understand only if you see the movie. Believe me, this movie will crush you down!Do not miss it!

This is one of the most sad movies on all time. Unfortunately you have to be Bulgarian to understand how sad the movie is. Or at least - you have to be keen in The Bolkans history and what the Bulgarian people have gone through. I am sorry to disappoint the writer of some of the comments about the movie - but in fact - it does show what exactly the Turkish army have done with the young bulgarians. Taking small children and making them a fanatic killers who are absolutely trust to the Turkish emperor has been done for over hundred of years. And the movie shows the whole pain and drama of the Bulgarian families who lost their children.