Sofia’s Last Ambulance
Poslednata lineika na Sofia
Directed by
Germany, Bulgaria, Croatia
2012
75 min
- Bulgarian
Documentary
In a city where 13 ambulances struggle to serve 2 million people, Krassi, Mila and Plamen are our unlikely heroes: chain-smoking, filled with humour, relentlessly saving lives against all odds. Yet, the strain of a broken system is taking a human toll: how long can they keep fixing society's injured until they loose their empathy? The film uses an unorthodox creative form which dodges sensationalism. We are captivated by the faces of our protagonists and the sounds surrounding one of Sofia's Last Ambulances.
Awards
- France 4 Visionary Award - La Semaine de la Critique
- Best Documentary Film over 30 min - Karlovy Vary IFF
- Best Balkan Documentary - Dokufest
- Special Mention in the International Documentary Film Section - Zurich Film Festival
- Special Prize of the Jury - Doclisboa
- Silver Dove - Dok Leipzig
- Prize for the Best Documentary Film - Bratislava IFF
Credits
- Cast
- Krassimir Yordanov
- Mila Mikhailova
- Plamen Slavkov
- Cinematography
- Ilian Metev
- Editing
- Ilian Metev
- Betina Ip
- Sales
- FILMS BOUTIQUE
- Production
- SUTOR KOLONKO
- Production
- NUKLEUS FILM
- Production
- SIA
- Production
- CHACONNA FILMS
Press
-
pure and [...] uncompromising
-
...an admirably solid slice of old-school cinéma-verité
Ilian Metev
Germany
My background is in classical violin, but it is within film that my interest in people and my musical sensibility converge.
Ilian was born in Bulgaria in 1981. As a teenager in Germany, he pursued a career as a violinist and has performed on German classical radio. After studying Fine Art at Saint Martins, where he experimented with 16mm film, he completed his training at the UK National Film and Television School in 2008. Since then, he is obsessed with finding new challenges using the medium of film and pushing film language. Ilian has directed, photographed and co-produced GOLESHOVO and SOFIA’S LAST AMBULANCE. His latest feature, 3/4 was selected at Locarno Festival where it was awarded the Golden Leopard in the Filmmakers of the Present section.
