Oldal 456 [456]
OCR
454 Anelia Kassabova political and social critique but also an “intensification of the dark colours” in presenting 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 combined 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 respecting 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 techniques. 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” (Valchanov 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 blackand-white camera Dimo Kolarov (Fig. 11). ‘The film can be seen as expressing the faith and hope of the authors for a possible 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.
