Oldal 456 [456]
454
Anelia Kassabova
political and social critique but also an “intensification of the dark colours” in pre¬
senting the socialist society in a pessimistic way could lead to sanctions, so the use of
allegories was one possible way to circumvent the censor’s vigilance. Allegories are
inherently dialectical for the fact that they may present two or more opposing views
by appearing to say one thing (Benjamin 1936). The destruction of the fence was
asymbol for a necessary internal opening. “This final—the destruction of the fence,
the first spontaneous joy ...—the question is not about the external destruction of
the fence but about the internal opening which is the bigger problem. ... For me
a sentimental intonation is needed here to let us think in this perspective. The very
destruction of the fence is only a request to remain thoughtful, to light a cigarette.”*”
More than 4 minutes of film time were dedicated to the images of the com¬
bined efforts of director and students pulling down the fence (Fig. 10). In a short
scene, the educator Kirilov and his other incarnation, the faceless and spineless
sports teacher, both strong supporters of the school as a prison, both not respect¬
ing the students, were both shown shouting “Hurrah” most of all. “This scene is
a warning: People, be aware! Learn to recognize them,” emphasized one reviewer
(Andreykov 1965: 42).
To “remain thoughtful”, to “learn to recognize” is an important goal for the
film director Valchanov; a goal that he achieved through different artistic tech¬
niques. Valchanov was aware of the symbolism of nature—the fence separates the
school from the railroad tracks and the road (which can be read as perspectives,
openness) and the outside world; it “blacks out white nature so unpleasantly” (Val¬
chanov n.d.: 131). The importance of nature predetermines the shooting of the
film in the Cherepish Monastery, situated in the picturesque Iskar Gorge, by the
shore of the Iskar River, in the Stara Planina Mountains. With an artistic eye to
frame shots, filmmaker Valchanov describes the last shots, when the school director
Kondov together with the students fulfil the dream and pull down the fence: “The
fence falls and opens up powerful white rocks, now whiter than ever, illuminated
by the snow and the sun of laughter. Until now, these rocks were cut by the fence,
were terrible, and now ... And the railway is in front of us; and not one but three ...
it belongs now to us, to the school ... And the rocks, and the sky—they belong to
the school ... To us ...” (Valchanov n.d.: 211-212). Ihe rhythm and pattern of the
camera’s movement is influential in the film, due also to the master of the black¬
and-white camera Dimo Kolarov (Fig. 11).
‘The film can be seen as expressing the faith and hope of the authors for a possi¬
ble positive development (of the LES, of the cinema process, of the socialist state as
a whole). “I dreamed of an exciting film to come out from this script, but it became
a belligerent film. It became an honest film, one that fights,” stated scriptwriter
Oliver.“ The film is fighting perhaps not against the system but for a more human
5 Valchanov, ISDA EF 404, op. 4, ae. 290: 50.
4 Valchanov, ISDA F. 404, op. 4, ae. 290: 48.