The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner

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.

• Moscow IFF
• LUX Award of the European Parliament – ​​Official Selection
• Karlovy Vary IFF, Czech Republic – Program „Another View”
• Palic IFF Serbia – Competition
• Motovun FF, Kroatien – Competition
• Sarajevo FF, Bosnia Herzegovina
• Montreal World FF, Kanada – Focus on World Cinema
• Manaki Brothers IFF, Skopje, Macedonia
• Portorosh FF, Slovenia
• Coolpolitics FF, Rotterdam – Opening film
• Haifa IFF, Israel – Competition
• Molodist IFF, Kiev, Ukraine – Panorama
• Mar del Plata IFF, Argentinia – Panorama
• Kolkata IFF, India – Panorama
• Cottbus IFF – German Premiere
• European Film Awards
• Trieste IFF
• Gøteborg IFF, Sweden – Panorama
• IFF Berlin – Market Screening
• Jameson Dublin IFF, Irland
• ‘Febiofest’ – Prague IFF, Czech Rep. – World Panorama
• East End FF, London, GB
• New Europe FF Edinburgh, GB
• European FF Ljubljana, Slovenia – Opening film
• Bulgarian FF Rome, Italy
• ‘Tekfestival’, Rome, Italy
• ‘The Best of Sarajevo FF’ at the Cinema Art House – Den Haag, Netherlands
• Cannes FF – Market Screening
• European FF, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Closing film
• Yerevan IFF ‘Golden Apricot’ – Regional Competition ‘Directors across Borders’
• Festival of Balkan Films, Bern, Suisse
• Academy Awards 2010 – The film was selected as the Bulgarian entry
• Benalmadena IFF Spain – Competition
• Alatri IFF, Italy – Competition
• Festival of European Cinema, Asmara, Eritrea
• Tbilisi IFF – Competition

• Audience Award for Best Bulgarian Film / Sofia IFF – Bulgarian Gala
• Audience Award / Zurich IFF
• Best Screenplay & Best Cinematography / ‘Golden Rose’ National Feature FF, Varna
• Jury Special Award / Warsaw IFF
• Main Jury Award „Cinema Extraordinaire” / Bergen IFF Norwegen
• Best Film / “Film and the City” FF, Nova Zagora, Bulgaria
• Jury Special Mention / „Black Nights” IFF, Tallinn, Estland
• ‘Don Quijote Award’ / Int. Association of the Film Clubs
• Grand Prix for the Best Film & Special Jury Award for Acting (Miki Manojlovic) / Vilnius IFF
• Best Actor Award for Miki Manojlovic / Almaty IFF, Kazakhstan
• Audience Award / Taipei IFF, Taiwan
• Best Actor Award for Miki Manojlovic / Sevastopol FF
• Best Director, SIGNIS Award and Audience Award / ‘Festroia’ IFF, Portugal