Eastern Plays (2009)
6/10
A token of realism and truthfulness
15 July 2010
Eastern Plays, directed and written by Kamen Kalev a young and rising director, is set in Sofia the capital city of Bulgaria. The main character is a former drug addict Christo played by Christo Christov. Christo confronts many problems in his life as he is searching for some meaning in a strange and unfriendly world.

The main characters Christo and his brother Georgi worry about their umeaningful lives. Christo finds resort in alcohol and his art on the other hand Georgi joins a fascist skinhead gang because he just wants to belong somewhere. Obviously the two brothers have very much in common and they are trying to find a meaning in a world that seems so volatile and sometimes hostile too. The film shows to us that human beings deserve a better way of life without hostilities between men, a life where love and respect will reign and this can be achieved only by young people such as Christo, Georgi and Ishil because most of the adults are lost in their problems and totally compromised with this unfriendly way of life.

Eastern Plays covers many of the problems young people face in society today. Drug addiction, racist gangs, generation gap, the need to belong somewhere. This is all done in a realistic way with which most of us can identify. Christo Christov and the other actors too are brilliant in their roles and convincing in the emotions they portray throughout.

Of course there are some flaws in the film. Moreover the absence of a concrete and stable scenario. To a certain extent the film is predictable and it doesn't surprise you with sudden changes. The dialogs also could be better and more extensive in ideas.

Overall the film was good and it's a pity that many of s don't know about the Balkan cinema scene and particularly the Bulgarian cinema scene. I think and I hope that job such as that film will encourage new directors from Bulgaria to express their ideas and their feelings through filming.
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