A motion-sickness inducing, alternative view of Sofia’s notable sites was introduced earlier today, November 26, in the form of Sofia Video Guide. The  about-one hour film was presented at the Czech Cultural Institute to an audience of participants in the production, press and friends.

A project of Bidon Films, which was created in 2000 by Dimitar Taralezhkov, Oleg Konstantinov and Nikola Boshnakov, it shows a different perspective of Bulgaria’s capital city, made pique by a sense of dry humour. Film director Boshnakov said: “Do not believe anything you see in the film, because it is all manipulation.”

This, of course, is not true, but provides a sense of the film’s philosophy. The film has the aspect of a home video, with main personage Martin Mladenov filming himself with a digital palm-sized video camera while walking the streets of Sofia, describing, often with irony, the landmarks of the city. He, in turn, is filmed by camera operator Alexander Stanishev. Joining Mladenov in cameo appearances are somewhat random residents of the city, adding their flavour and insight into its history and its present.

For a film that cost 200 to 400 leva to make, Boshnakov said to Sofia Echo Media, Sofia Video Guide (София Видео Гайд) is sufficiently satisfactory. “It’s not a quality-made film, but it incites dialogue,” he said, of which  he hopes to  see more  in the cinematographic world, particularly in Bulgaria.
The film premieres to the general public on December 1 at 9pm at Dom na Kinoto in Sofia, with the “Premiere for Smokers” at 8pm on December 3 at Yalta Cinema.