Bulgaria's submission for this year's Oscars is writer/director Ivaylo Hristov's Fear.
The film stars Svetlana Yancheva as a widow who faces the prejudice of her
village when she gives shelter to an African refugee (Michael Fleming).
Ivan Savov, Stoyan Bochev, Krassimir Dokov and
Miroslava Gogovska also star.
Fear is on US VOD from March 11th. A UK/ROI release has yet
to be announced.
Check out the trailer and poster below.
The official synopsis reads:
Svetla (Svetlana Yancheva), a strong-willed widow, lives alone in a small Bulgarian village close to the Turkish border. She has recently lost her job as a teacher due to the lack of families with young children. One day, while hunting in a forest, she encounters an African refugee, Bamba (Michael Fleming), who is trying to reach Germany, and will bring about a dramatic turn in her life. Reluctantly, she offers him hospitality, but day after day, a bond develops as Bamba learns the language and takes part in her daily life. Svetla will make life-changing choices that go against her traditional community creating a revolt among the villagers. Absurd, comic and tragic situations ensue as she breaks barriers of loneliness, close mindedness and fear of the outsider.