Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova (“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”) stars as Slava Platnikova in the new international film “Triumph.”
It also stars Margita Gosheva as Pirina Nyagolova, Julian Vergov as Col. Simeon Platnikov, and Julian Kostov as the Private.
“Triumph” follows the previous films “The Lesson” and “Glory” and it is the conclusion of the trilogy, which was inspired by true sensational news stories in Bulgaria. The screenplay of “Triumph” is rich and resonant.
The synopsis is: With the fall of the Iron Curtain, the Eastern European nations, and Bulgarians in particular, are suddenly left with a sense of aimlessness and orphanage. Earlier, it was the Mother Party that dictated their thoughts and beliefs.
Now, their virgin minds are suddenly bestowed with something they are not prepared for – freedom. So, what do they do with that?
A military reconnaissance expedition headed by the ailing Chief of the General Staff, Gen. Zlatev, arrives at a barren field in the middle of nowhere and starts digging a hole at a spot pinpointed via telepathic dictation by the General’s personal psychic, Pirina.
The head of the Army’s Science Department, Col. Platnikov, is appointed mission commander despite his reasonable objections.
Circumstances have forced him to bring along his peculiar daughter Slava (Maria Bakalova), whom Pirina declares to be a powerful “signal conductor” and uses her to channel the alien entity Yolo.
Yolo proclaims that they have been chosen by the Galactic High Council to unearth a powerful artefact that will change the future of humanity and lead Bulgaria to a triumph.
Thus begins a never-ending manual digging operation, marked by abrupt changes of direction and depth in accordance with the instructions of the mysterious galactic “Guides”, relayed by their Earth correspondents Pirina and Slava. Soon enough, love intrigues, envy, jealousy, and a struggle for dominance start to pollute the otherwise idealistic visionary endeavor.
The Verdict
Overall, “Triumph” is indeed a triumphant film… it is a mix between satire and tragedy. Maria Bakalova pulls off a career-defining acting performance as Slava, which runs the gamut. It will make you feel every emotion imaginable, and it will definitely spark conversations among viewers.
Margita Gosheva delivers a commanding performance as Pirina Nyagolova, while Julian Kostov is also noteworthy as the Private. Everybody in the cast brings something distinct to the table. There is a rawness, honesty, and authenticity to this project like no other.
“Triumph” is a movie that deserves to be nominated for (and subsequently win) an Academy Award for “Best International Feature Film.” It garners 4.5 out of 5 stars. Bravo.
In other Maria Bakalova news, she was just as remarkable in “The Apprentice” as Ivana Trump.
