Oldal 445 [445]
Visualizations of “Hooligans”. A Bulgarian Film of the 1960s
political system), were until then totally invisible. But contrary to the expectations,
the artists examined in their commentaries the literary techniques used to create
the aesthetic effects and the messages of the script as schematic, oversimplifying,
and over didactic. Film director Lyudmil Kirkov (1933-1995), drawing the at¬
tention to the French New Wave and pointing out the 1959 French drama film
The 400 Blows,’ labelled the script as “unserious”.* The critique was a professional
one, directed to the dramaturgy of the script—it was not the topic per se that was
judged as unserious, but the “didactical and scholastic character and forethought”
of the script. Film director Binka Zhelyazkova (1923-2011) and scriptwriter and
film director Hristo Ganev (1924—)'° refused to participate in the making of the
film owing to these criticisms. Yet, two artists supported the author: “I feel that if
I were the director, this scenario, with all its flaws and imperfections, would incite
my enthusiasm and I would work together with the author to complete it.” With
these words, the poet, writer, and scriptwriter Valery Petrov declared his readiness
to work with the author on the script. Film director Valchanov and cameraman
Dimo Kolarov, who had already collaborated with Petrov on several movies, took
responsibility for making the film Valchitsata.
A dozen of meetings in connection with the script of Valchitsata took place; the
numerous “obligatory and semi-obligatory recommendations” to the script and
the atmosphere resembling a “sword of Damocles” (according to Petrov)'' hanging
over the heads of the filmmakers cannot be completely reconstructed since not all
minutes of the artistic council are preserved.'? It took almost a year and a half to
get permission to begin shooting the film.
Emotion comes from the excitement and the sincere conviction of the author
Oliver, expressed at the meeting of the artistic council in July 1964: “I started
writing this script in quite odd circumstances. I visited a school for such children,
which is located in Pernik. I was extremely moved by the human fates I met there
and just started writing, having nothing concrete on my mind."
From the Script to the Reality
‘The main scenes in the film Valchitsata, such as the scenes showing the work of stu¬
dents at the school; the “Collective Honour” shop, which operated without a seller;
7 French: Les Quatre Cents Coups, a 1959 French drama film, the debut by director François Truffaut.
* TsDA F. 404, op. 4, ae. 290: 56.
° Ibid.: 53.
10 Both were committed communists from the 1930s and 1940s, but with already censored films by the
socialist regime because of their innovative approaches that did not follow the narrow requirements of
socialist realism. On the intellectual’s complex relationship with the régime at the end of the 1950s—1960s,
see Hristova 2005: 177-218; Stanimirova 2012.
" "TsDA E 404, op. 4, ae. 290: 47.
2 In the Central State Archives there are only three minutes preserved.
3 Tbid.: 59.
443