Bulgaria, once a familiar name, has now become an unfamiliar country. But no matter whether a country is big or small, prosperous and barren, well-known or not, culture will always be the image of a country and a benchmark for the height of a national spirit. Film and literature are also the windows through which we know this land, through words or light and shadow, those sentient beings jump in front of us, we can feel their breathing, feel their sorrows and joys.
Glory Etching, a film that reflects the fate of Bulgarian society and small people, is niche but worth watching.
The protagonist, Shanke, is a railway worker. Stuttering, silent, but kind. On a lonely rail that stretches far into the distance, he patrols every day and lives a cookie-cutter life.
His colleagues stole oil from the train, and he passed by, daring to speak out. He was the object of ridicule by his companions.
Until one day, he found a lot of lost cash on the tracks, a crime scene. As a result, his life took a dramatic turn.
The Ministry of Railways, which was deeply involved in the scandal, found a propaganda theme, so he was hastily dressed as a model. In his pocket, there were also two bills that he had secretly picked up from the crime scene.
When his life reached its peak, it was also the day when his fate fell into a low ebb. The relic of his father, who had accompanied him for half his life, an old-fashioned watch, became the last straw that crushed the camel.
The film was nominated for the Don Quijote Award at the 69th Locarno International Film Festival in 2016.
In this film, Bulgaria, which has become distant and strange, is reborn.
(Author Luan Wensheng)