English 
Deutsch 
The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner
35mm – colour – running time: 110min – Dolby Digital
production:
A German-Bulgarian-Slovenian co-production
between PALLAS FILM, RFF INTERNATIONAL, VERTIGO
supported by: MDM – Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Eurimages, Bulgarian National Film Center
World sales: m-appeal
Author & Director: Stephan Komandarev
Producers: Karl Baumgartner, Thanassis Karathanos, Stefan Kitanov
THE WORLD IS BIG … is the story of Alex, who, with the help of his charismatic grandfather, Gaffer Dan, embarks on a journey in search of his real self.
Bulgaria, 1980. Clouds are gathering over Alex’s serene childhood in the idyllic Socialist society of a provincial town. His father, Vasko, gets himself into trouble with the régime. The militia want him to spy on Alex’s grandfather, Gaffer Dan. He is the undisputed King of the dice, and in the café frequented by backgammon players he publicly tells biting political jokes. Many years previously, Gaffer Dan had studied in Germany, and later spent time in Communist camps as a political prisoner. Vasko refuses to work for the militia. He, his wife Yana, and the young Alex emigrate to Germany. However, the family breaks up there.
Germany, 2006. Alex and his parents, now older, are together again for the first time, on their way to Bulgaria. In the small provincial town, Gaffer Dan and his wife are feverishly preparing for their arrival. But they have an accident on the road: Yana and Vasko are killed, Alex ends up in hospital. Gaffer Dan goes off to Germany. Alex does not recognise his grandfather because he now suffers from amnesia as a result of the accident. The medical team rate his chances of getting better as minimal. Gaffer Dan teaches his grandson backgammon. The ancient game restores Alex back to life. Gaffer Dan drags Alex out of hospital and they set off on the road. On this journey back to Bulgaria, which is also a journey back to the past, Alex gets his memory back, and with it, the will to live life.
Bai Dan: Miki Manojlovic
Aleksander ‘Sashko’ Georgiev: Carlo Ljubek
Vasil Georgiev: Hristo Mutafchiev
Yana Georgieva: Ana Papadopulu
Baba Sladka: Lyudmila Cheshmedzhieva
Franka: Dorka Gryllus
Line Producer: Vladimir Andreev, Georgi Balkanski
DOP: Emil Christov
Music: Stefan Valdobrev
Editor: Nina Altaparmakova
Sound: Aleksander Bachvarov
Sound-Mixer: Holger Lehmann
Costumes: Marta Mironska
Set-Design: Anastas Yanakiev
Audience Award
Best Bulgarian Film
Moscow International Film Festival, Russia – Gala screening
LUX Award of the European Parliament
Official Selection
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Czech Republic –
Programme „Another View”
Palic International Film Festival, Serbia – Competition
Motovun Film Festival, Croatia – Competition
Sarajevo Film Festival, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Regional focus
Montreal World Film Festival, Canada – Focus on World Cinema
Manaki Brothers International Film Festival, Skopje, Macedonia – Regional focus
Portorosh Film Festival, Slovenia
Zurich International Film Festival, Switzerland – Competition
Audience Award
‘Golden Rose’ National Feature Film Festival, Varna, Bulgaria – Competition
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematographer
Coolpolitics Film Festival, Rotterdam, The Netherlands – Opening film
Warsaw International Film Festival – Competition
Jury Special Award
Haifa International Film Festival, Israel – Competition
Bergen International Film Festival, Norway – Competition
Main Jury Award „Cinema Extraordinaire”
Molodist International Film Festival, Kiev, Ukraine – Panorama
“Film and the City” Film Festival, Nova Zagora, Bulgaria
Best Film Award
Mar del Plata International Film Festival, Argentina – Panorama
Kolkata International Film Festival, India – Panorama
Cottbus International Film Festival, Germany – German premiere
„Black Nights” International Film Festival, Tallinn, Estonia – Competition
Jury Special Mention
‘Don Quijote Award’ of the International Association of the Film Clubs
European Film Awards 2008
The film was sent to the members of the European Film Academy for selecting the nominations for the European Film Awards
2009
Trieste International Film Festival, Italy – Closing film
Goteborg International Film Festival, Sweden – Panorama
Berlin International Film Festival – Market Screening
Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, Ireland
Vilnius International Film Festival, Lithuania – Competition
Grand Prix for Best Film
Special Jury Award for Acting (Miki Manojlovic)
‘Febiofest’ – Prague International Film Festival, Czech Republic – World Panorama
East End Film Festival, London, UK
New Europe Film Festival, Edinburgh, UK
European Film Festival, Ljubljana, Slovenia – Opening film
Bulgarian Film Festival, Rome, Italy
‘Tekfestival’, Rome, Italy
‘The Best of Sarajevo FF’ at the Cinema Art House. Den Haag, The Netherlands
Almaty International Film Festival, Kazahstan – Competition
Best Actor Award for Miki Manojlovic
Cannes Film Festival – Market Screening
European Film festival, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Closing Film
Taipei International Film Festival, Taiwan – Competition
Audience Award
Yerevan International Film Festival ‘Golden Apricot’ – Regional Competition ‘Directors across Boarders’
Sevastopol Film Festival – Competition
Best Actor Award for Miki Manojlovic
‘Festroia’ International Film Festival, Portugal – Competition
Best Director
SIGNIS Award
Audience Award
Festival of Balkan Films, Bern, Switzerland
Academy Awards 2010
The film was selected as Bulgarian entry for the Academy Foreign Language Award.
Benalmadena International Film Festival, Spain – Competition
Alatri International Film Festival, Italy – Competition
Festival of European Cinema, Asmara, Eritrea
Tbilisi International Film Festival – Competition
