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DirectorYana Titova
ProducerAleksandar Aleksiev, Nickolay Stoichkov – NO BLINK; Reason 8 Films
WriterYana Titova
CameraMartin Balkansky
EditorBohos Topakbashian
CastValentina Karoleva, Dimitar Nikolov, Aleksandar Aleksiev
Original TitleDOZA SCHASTIE
Year2019
Length100 min
CountryBulgaria / UK
SubtitlesEnglish
SectionWOMEN’S POWER / CINEMA AS CULTURAL MEMORY

A deeply moving romantic and family drama, based on true events from the life of well-known Bulgarian journalist Vesela Toteva. Based on her own memoir ‘Fall and Salvation: Confessions of a former heroin addict’, it’s a tale of addiction, destitution, fear and redemption, as a rebellious young woman searches for happiness during the turbulent transitional 1990s in Bulgaria.

Synopsis

It’s the careless 90s in Bulgaria, a time of major political changes and economic malaise. Society is full of challenges for young people, balancing between socialist and capitalist life paths. The biopic follows beautiful Vesela, a 20-year-old young mother of a 3-year-old girl, as she gets out of an unhappy marriage. Taking a job in a nightclub, it doesn’t take long before she is in a new relationship, this time with a man twice her age. But the real troubles kick in when Vesela starts using heroin and quickly becomes an addict, putting her entire life in danger. Played brilliantly by beautiful Valentina Karoleva, who is in fact the actual daughter of Vesela Toteva, the film is a touching coming of age story. Directed by the respected actress Yana Titova, this moving true story became the big box-office success of 2019 in Bulgaria.

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