‘REVENGE. DS’s LONG SHADOW’ - A DOCUMENTARY BY ATANAS KIRYAKOV

The director Atanas Kiryakov and the camera man Ivan Tonev tell the viewers about their latest documentary in an interview for the BNT morning programme ‘The Day Begins with Culture’ on 29th January.

The film is about two death sentences and two registration cards with names of collaborators of DS (DS being the former State Security service in Bulgaria). The cynicism of a totalitarian system and its presence in current life. Who takes revenge, against whom and what happens today?

The camera operator and producer Ivan Tonev says that the film helps the viewers to step into the history of our life and the life of our parents. The subject matter is all too well known in Bulgarian society, but has never been fully explored and seen. The film follows the stories, events and the destinies of people falsely accused of being DS agents. The lives of the main characters are covered from 15-16 to over 70 years of age. “The intrigue remains somehow unresolved and poses the question: why these things still happen today”, said Tonev. It is left to the viewers to find the answer for themselves.

The film director, Atanas Kiryakov, says that the stories of the characters reflect their life-long struggle against the system. They were oppressed because they had not been part of the ‘inner circle’. “The real recruiters and collaborators of DS teach us morality lessons today. They are everywhere around us, they are rich, appear on television and teach us how to live,” remarks Kiryakov, “while those who fought against the system throughout their lives, were oppressed and smashed”.

The première of the film was on 28th January in ‘Dom na Kinoto’ cinema hall. Viewers can watch it at the cinema. It is also distributed on DVD.