The Motorbike (2017) is Valentin Goshev’s second feature film, following his debut Samotni Sartsa (2007). As the director himself describes his work, of which he is also the screenwriter, "it is a story of friendship that can last throughout the years, regardless of the vicissitudes of historical events." The story is about three teenagers gathered in a village, because of the inevitable reality of war. Slavcho lives there, Villi is part of a German military unit, and Evelina is evacuated from Sofia, her house being destroyed by English and American bombs.
Valentin Goshev‘s choice for this particular Bulgarian village as a place for his plot is not accidental.
"The village of Barakovo, where the story unfolds, has been quite an interesting place in the past," says the director. – “I was collecting documentary material about the Balabanov brothers' factory. Along the way, I learned about Villi the German, who worked during the war at a German military workshop that had been set up for the factory. Villi was always riding his motorbike, and when it was time to leave Bulgaria he decided to give the motorbike to his Bulgarian friend Slavcho - a young man from the village."
The director also got inspired from Vesselin Branev’s autobiography Sledeniyat Chovek and the author's memoirs of the years during the Second World War. A little later during the pre-production phase of the film, Branev took the role of a dramaturgical consultant. To recreate the historical facts, the director confided on Bogdan Filov's Dnevnika.
Apart from sincerity, the film will captivate the audience with many authentic stories.
When selecting the actors for the main roles, Valentin Goshev chose to work with young and relatively unfamiliar faces - Alexandra Radicheva (Evelina) and Dimitar Angelov (Villi Schmid), in the company of professionals such as Izco Finzi (Itzhak Fintzi), Mihail Mutafov, and Philip Trifonov. Camera operator and producer of the film is Ivan Tonev, sound director is Blagomir Alexiev, and the music is by Vladimir Dzhambazov.
The Motorbike is an ARS Ltd. (Ars Digital Studio), Ivan Tonev production, with the support of National Film Center.
Valentin Goshev graduated The Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, in the class of Prof. Georgi Dyulgerov. He has directed the TV series Zabranena Lyubov (55 episodes, 2008-2009), Kantora Mitrani (2012), Topal Noemvri, short film (2010) and the feature film Samotni Sartsa (2007).
Valentin Goshev‘s choice for this particular Bulgarian village as a place for his plot is not accidental.
"The village of Barakovo, where the story unfolds, has been quite an interesting place in the past," says the director. – “I was collecting documentary material about the Balabanov brothers' factory. Along the way, I learned about Villi the German, who worked during the war at a German military workshop that had been set up for the factory. Villi was always riding his motorbike, and when it was time to leave Bulgaria he decided to give the motorbike to his Bulgarian friend Slavcho - a young man from the village."
The director also got inspired from Vesselin Branev’s autobiography Sledeniyat Chovek and the author's memoirs of the years during the Second World War. A little later during the pre-production phase of the film, Branev took the role of a dramaturgical consultant. To recreate the historical facts, the director confided on Bogdan Filov's Dnevnika.
Apart from sincerity, the film will captivate the audience with many authentic stories.
When selecting the actors for the main roles, Valentin Goshev chose to work with young and relatively unfamiliar faces - Alexandra Radicheva (Evelina) and Dimitar Angelov (Villi Schmid), in the company of professionals such as Izco Finzi (Itzhak Fintzi), Mihail Mutafov, and Philip Trifonov. Camera operator and producer of the film is Ivan Tonev, sound director is Blagomir Alexiev, and the music is by Vladimir Dzhambazov.
The Motorbike is an ARS Ltd. (Ars Digital Studio), Ivan Tonev production, with the support of National Film Center.
Valentin Goshev graduated The Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, in the class of Prof. Georgi Dyulgerov. He has directed the TV series Zabranena Lyubov (55 episodes, 2008-2009), Kantora Mitrani (2012), Topal Noemvri, short film (2010) and the feature film Samotni Sartsa (2007).