Balls

Title: “Balls” Genre: Sports comedy

Screen language: Bulgarian with English subtitles

Running time: 102 minutes

Starring: Aleksandra Lashkova, Ivan Savov, Aleks Ivanov, Marian Valев, Kitodar Todorov, Krastyu Krestev, Snezhina Petrova, Stoyo Mirkov, Veselin Petrov, Metodi Valchev, Ivan Zgriparov, Anna Bankina-Hadjieva, Todor Tanchev

Director: Lyubomir Pechev

Screenplay: Nevena Kertova, Lyubomir Pechev

Director of photography: Kaloyan Bozhilov

Producers: Stanislav Donchev, “Dynamic Arts”; Teodora Stoilova-Doncheva, “Trafaret Films”

Co-producer: Aleksandar Kenanov, “B2Y”

With the support of the Bulgarian National Film Center

SYNOPSIS: “If someone had told 23-year-old Laura /Aleksandra Lashkova/, a highly promising star of women’s football, that she would one day coach a men’s provincial football team, she would never have believed them. But when the only opportunity to fulfill her dream of becoming a football coach presents itself, she takes charge of the amateur team of Skala Bov. Laura comes up against racists, sexists, and hard-headed Balkan men—and naturally faces their knee-jerk resistance. What they did not expect, however, is that Laura “has balls.” She manages to win over their longtime coach, Daskala /Ivan Savov/, impress them, unite them, and turn them into a team. Along the way, she also finds true love in the form of Mitko /Aleks Ivanov/, a local boy who had taken a wrong turn but eventually finds salvation in football. Just as Skala is on its way to becoming a real team, the new coach attracts the attention of a local mobster and illegal betting organizer /Marian Valev/.

The Skala Bov team is a gathering of all kinds of colorful characters:

Bore /Veselin Petrov/ – the local alpha male: sexist, racist, but the best striker on the team. The team captain.

Pali-Gasi /Kitodar Todorov/ – an electrician who has been shocked by electricity countless times. Perhaps that is why he is bipolar: when he is aggressive, he is a good player; when he takes his medication, he is not.

Vane Shishe /Ivan Zgriparov/ – this chubby loudmouth is highly aggressive and cannot stand criticism—or a cold dinner. He embodies every notorious trait of the stereotypical Bulgarian “Ganyo.”

Kiro Bikov /Tsvetan Cholev/ – a big, rugged agricultural worker with limited intellectual capacity. He is excessively obedient and takes everything literally.

The Hyena /Petar Petrov/ – a village schemer who is constantly cooking up plots and trying to cheat everyone around him, even his teammates.

Samuil Salama, Zhoro’s brother /Metodi Valchev/ – Samuil is extremely cantankerous and quick-tempered. He has spent decades locked in a bitter feud with—and unable to stand—his brother Zhoro.

Zhoro Terlaka, Samuil’s brother /Nikolay Bardarski/ – a good-natured, trusting young man. He is kind to everyone except the greatest villain in his life: his older brother Samuil.

Ronaldo 2 /Petar Zhaygarov/ – a boy of Roma origin with a talent for football. He has two problems: the police and the captain, Bore, who often beats him.

Bimbo the Drunk /Svetlin Ivanov/ – as his nickname suggests, he has a serious drinking problem and often drinks while the ball is out of play for a throw-in or corner.

The Miracle /Daniel Krastev/ – a goalkeeper who can break or crush anyone and anything. The only problem is, he cannot actually keep goal.

Chris /Aleks Velinov/ – the new goalkeeper, who is brilliant between the posts, but whose father is in trouble with the local loan-sharking mafia.

Join us for an unforgettable comedy.