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Bulgaria / All works

Cinema

Detour

Отклонение

Grisha Ostrovski and Todor Stoyanov · 1967

Synopsis

Neda, an archaeologist, and Boyan, a successful engineer, loved each other as students, in the immediate post-war years, then parted: they had put collective duty before their love. Seventeen years later, a detour on the road brings them together by chance, and they make the journey to Sofia together. The film moves back and forth between this journey and their memories, between what they have become and what they had thought they must sacrifice.

Context

The film is based on a novel by Blaga Dimitrova, who wrote the screenplay; it appeared the same year in a collection of literary screenplays. Nevena Kokanova plays Neda opposite Ivan Andonov, with Katya Paskaleva and Stefan Iliev; Todor Stoyanov also handles the camera, and the music is by Miltcho Leviev. The film was shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York as early as 1969, in a cycle of Bulgarian films of the sixties.

Who it is for

Seventy-eight minutes, in Bulgarian; a conversation film carried by two actors, built on comings and goings.

Prizes and reception

Special Golden Prize and Fipresci Prize at the Moscow festival; best actress award for Nevena Kokanova at Varna.

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