Stephan Komandarev was born in Sofia in 1966. He graduated from the French language high school in 1985, the Medical Academy in Sofia with a specialty in "medicine" in 1993, in 1999 - film and television directing at the New Bulgarian University, and in 2010 – film dramaturgy again at New Bulgarian University (NBU). He also graduated in film production at EAVE.

Among his films are "Blaga's Lessons" (2023), "Zhivot of Zhivota (2021), "Rounds" (2019), "Directions" (2017), "The Judgement" (2014), "Rusenskata Karrvava Svatba" (2009), "The Town of Badante Women" (2009), "The World is Big and Salvation Around the Corner" (2008), "Azbuka na Nadejdata" (2003), "Hlyab na Nadejdata" (2002), "The Way of Harmony" ( 2001), "Pansion za Kucheta (2000), "Sluchaini Chashi" (1998), "Balonut" (1997).

On August 30, there will be a screening of one of his most awarded films "Blaga's Lessons" within the jubilee 40th in a row "Apolonia" Arts Festivals in Sozopol (28.08 - 7.09).

You are participating in "Apollonia" with "Blaga's Lessons" on August 30. What are the moral questions the film raises? Why do you focus on the image of a scamed pensioner?

Basically, in every single film, we try to raise some pressing questions without giving answers. In this case, we have focused on our parents' generation. This generation bore the brunt of the so-called "transition period" (i.e. "prehoda" - note ed.). And the phone scam plot is just the plot line to help us talk about this generation.

How did you manage to convince Eli Skorcheva to play the female lead after being out of the profession for 30 years?

We were lucky. Alexander Kosev, my fellow director, who helped us with the casting, met her by chance, talked to her. He asked if she would return to the cinema after so many years. She told him that it depends on the script, but why not if she likes the script. Naturally, we immediately sent it. The next day she called and said this was the script she had been waiting 30 years for.

How do you work with famous actors? Do they "star" or are they strict and organized?

These are two different things - whether they are famous names or whether they are good actors. Basically, good actors, whether they are famous or not, don't star themselves, they are organized, they are punctual, they are 100% in the film, they are very easy to work with. We do long processes of rehearsals, of discussing the role, of script changes. And in general, a huge part of the things we finish before that, before the photos themselves. From there, the shooting itself is more of a pleasure when you've had the chance, when you've done your work and you've chosen the right good actors and you've worked with them enough. Then the shooting period is already a pleasure.

You are the winner of many awards. Among them, is there one that is particularly valuable to you and why?

There are already quite a few figurines, we even wonder where to physically collect them. After receiving the three awards from Karlovy Vary '23 - Crystal Globe for Best Film, Best Actress, Ecumenical Jury Award, the rest of our team was waiting for us at Sofia Airport. They had prepared some self-made little posters: "Welcome, dear Globebearers!" (from "globe" - note ed.). The joy in the eyes of all those friends and like-minded people with whom we had made the film together, who had come and waited for us at the airport, those little posters - in fact, this is one of the most valuable rewards for me.

Screenwriter, director, producer - which role appeals to you more or do they complement each other?

Naturally, the role of director attracts me the most. And I became a producer by accident so that I could realize my films faster. But I definitely enjoy working as a screenwriter too.

You are now shooting "Made in EU". How far is the filming going and when can we expect the film on the screen?

The movie is already shot, currently in post-production, so most likely next year. Here, things also depend on the global distributor, on their ideas on where the world premiere of the film should be.

And what is the plot?

The plot is what happens in a textile workshop, of which there are extremely many in Bulgaria, where the so-called "ishleme" is sewn (i.e. making something with the customer's materials and paying per piece - note ed.). It takes place during the COVID pandemic. But it's not a film about COVID, it's more about modern slavery, about exploitation nowadays, and COVID exacerbates all of those issues, so the goal this time is to talk about that.

And what other ideas would you like to implement in the near future?

Ideas - a lot! I am currently finishing a script called "Block Universe". We are again working with German co-producers and the Center for Emergency Medical Assistance in Sofia helps us a lot, because things are related to ambulances - what happens to the ambulance medics. But the whole thing is still in production.

And how much has the Bulgarian citizen changed in the 30 years of transition? Is there a substitution of values? Why did humanity, compassion, morality disappear?

This is a hard long question with many aspects and the answer is long. On the one hand, there is a definite breakdown in this aspect, which I observe not only as a person who works in similar fields, but also as a person who teaches and as a person who is a father to two children. That is, a huge spiritual, cultural and educational collapse, which for me is a very serious problem. Naturally, it is also related to what you said. Because for these values ​​to be learned from somewhere, except first in the family, there must be quality education, there must be a population that reads, there must be people who are interested in literature, in cinema, in theater... And when this does not happen, these values ​​hardly enter into life. On the other hand, other things are taking their place, which I wouldn't exactly call values.

From a director's point of view, what do you think of the scandal with the opening of the Olympics in Paris?

To tell you the truth, I hardly watch TV. For the last 10 years, I have not watched either the world championships or the Olympics, as they say, I have enough other things to do. All these things go under the "bread and circuses" column, in their spectacular part. I prefer not to go mainstream and I don't watch a lot of such events, so I haven't watched the thing in question either.

Does this mean that the scandal, revolving around men in women's boxing, that is currently raging, has not reached you?

It's enough what I see on some social media, etc. Above all, the overwhelming opposition to intolerance and aggression of opposing viewpoints. Bulgarian society is fatally divided in everything and this is the real problem. In the specific case of boxing, the thing that is important is to have a clear regulation of who can and who cannot box. And from then on to comply with these regulations. In this case, as far as I understand, there is some kind of vacuum, most likely deliberately caused, which allows different categories of boxers to participate at the same time.

In this aspect, is there a clash, shall we call it, between the "old" and the "new" world?

I don't know what you call old and new world, the world is the same after all. But in every world there are new trends and old trends. In principle, since the world began - since the Chinese, if we start, there have been the two beginnings, Yin and Yang. And we have learned in Systems Theory that every single system has an operational and conservative beginning. The operative is what moves things forward and they somehow progress, but the system can perish from too much progress. And vice versa - there is also a conservative beginning that must be opposed so that the system does not perish from progress, but if it is very strong, it can perish from a lack of progress. So things are always a balance between one and the other. Either extreme is harmful.

Anything I didn't ask you that you would like to say?

We are engrossed in future things and working non-stop. And God willing there will be more and more quality Bulgarian films and more Bulgarian cinema, that there will be viewers in Bulgaria and viewers around the world!

Interview by Ani Romanova

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