Variety's Ten Euro Directors to Watch 2013 / Tsvetat na hameleona / Bulgaria 2012
This darkly comic evocation of communist absurdities circa 1989 follows the fortunes of an amoral opportunist and his initially state-decreed, later self-mandated adventures in surveillance. Helmer Christov creates an alternate reality that juxtaposes Kafkaesque bureaucratic illogic with murderous whimsy.
This darkly comic evocation of communist absurdities circa 1989 follows the fortunes of an amoral, almost Tom Ripley-esque opportunist and his initially state-decreed, later self-mandated adventures in surveillance. Based on scriptwriter Vladislav Todorov’s novel Zincograph, referenced within the film as a key underground text, this debut feature from Bulgarian helmer Emil Christov creates an alternate reality that juxtaposes Kafkaesque bureaucratic illogic with the murderous whimsy of an off-the-wall freelancer. Composed as a series of surreal shocks, it rapidly changes tones alongside its fearlessly imitative hero. Batka (Ruscen Vidinliev) is recruited by the secret police to gather intel on a weirdo group of "new thinkers,” where counterintuitive feminism and vaginal speculums hold sway. But Batka’s imagination soars far beyond the confines of his role.
114 min / Color, 35 mm
Director Emil Christov
/ Screenplay Vladislav Todorov based on his novel / podle vlastního románu Zincograph
/ Dir. of Photography Krum Rodriguez
/ Music Nikolay Madzharov
/ Editor Alexander Etimov
/ Producer Vladislav Todorov, Bouriana Zakharieva
/ Production Peripeteia
/ Cast Ruscen Vidinliev, Irena Milyankova, Rousy Chanev, Samuel Finzi, Svetlana Yancheva
/ Contact Peripeteia
Emil Christov (b. 1956, Sofia) studied cinematography at Bulgaria’s National Academy for Theater and Film Arts and has worked as a director of photography on feature films (including The World Is Big and Salvation Is Around the Corner / Svetat e goljam e spasenije debna otvsjakade, 2008; screened at Karlovy Vary), documentaries, and music videos – nearly 30 in all. The Color of the Chameleon is his directing debut.
Peripeteia
"Samokov" 80, bl.306, apt. 57, 1113, Sofia
Bulgaria
Phone: +359 893 766 969
E-mail: [email protected]
Emil Christov
Film Director
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