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Natasha's Dream

Natasha is a girl living in an orphanage, who tells the story of her life, her mother, her friendships and her first love.
Based on Yaroslava Pulinovich’s play, “Natasha’s Dream” is a compelling and realistic look into the life of institutionalized children.

  • Vanya Boycheva
    Director
    The Radio Technician
  • Vanya Boycheva
    Writer
  • Vanya Boycheva
    Producer
  • Dessy Tenekedjieva
    Producer
  • Milena Ermenkova
    Key Cast
    "Natasha"
  • Svetoslava Ivanova
    Key Cast
    "Svetla"
  • Blagoy Boychev
    Key Cast
    "Valery"
    The Radio Technician
  • Silviya Stanoeva
    Key Cast
    "Tatyana"
  • Boryana Peneva
    Key Cast
    "Mrs Georgieva"
  • Vasilka Bumbarova
    Key Cast
    "The director"
  • Magdalena Slavcheva
    Key Cast
    "Radost"
  • Milko Yovchev
    Key Cast
    "The cameraman"
    Action
  • Ovanes Torosyan
    Key Cast
    "Russy"
  • Vanya Boycheva
    Key Cast
    "The girlfriend"
  • Vesela Petrova
    Key Cast
    "Journalist"
  • Mario Georgiev
    Key Cast
    "Journalist"
  • Svetlin Balkanski
    Key Cast
    "Journalist"
  • Tsvetormir Petrovski
    DOP
    The Radio Technician
  • Tihomira Temelkova
    Executive producer
  • Mirela Vasileva
    Art Director
  • Dobromir Kissyiov
    Composer
  • Diko Buchukov
    1AD
  • Mario Dimitrov
    2AD
  • Dimitar Rozov
    Gaffer
  • Angel Peshkov
    Lightening
  • Presian Dimitrov
    Location sound
  • Teodora Duparinova
    Hair and makeup
  • Christian Levchev
    Special makeup
  • Svetlin Balkanski
    Photographer
  • Gabriela Manova
    Translation in English
  • Maria Mihaylova
    Sound Design
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    drama, teen, comedy, romance, coming of age
  • Runtime:
    27 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Bulgaria
  • Country of Filming:
    Bulgaria
  • Language:
    Bulgarian
  • Shooting Format:
    Blackmagic
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • National Awards "Vasil Gendov"

    Bulgaria
    May 7, 2022
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Vanya Boycheva

2021 – “Natasha’s Dream” – Short Film (in Festival Distribution)
Supported by National Culture Fund Bulgaria for Debut

• Nomination for Best Short - Bulgarian National Awards "Vasil Gendov" (Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers) 2022
• Special Jury Award CineLibri International Film Festival 2021
• Presented at Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes by In The
Palace International Film Festival
• Special Mention at Burgas International Film Festival 2021

2020 – “1,2..7,8..10 – How To Meet Your Other ½ in 10 Steps”,
short film, 6 min.
FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
○ THE 355 FILM AWARD by Stoyan Cambarev Foundation,
Bulgaria
○ IFF On The Beach, Bulgaria – Best Short Comedy 2021
○ Short Shot Film Festival, Moscow – Official selection, 2020
○ Direct Monthly Online Film Festival – Official Selection,
December 2020
○ Kosice International Monthly Film Festival, Croatia –
Honorable Mention, December 2020
○ Reale Film Festival, Milan, Italy – Honorable Mention,
November 2020
○ Monthly Indi Shorts – Official Selection November 2020
○ Golden Rose Film Festival, Bulgaria – Official Selection
2018 - “The Radio Technician”, short film, 13 min.
FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
○ Dolna Malina Open Fest, 2018 – Best Film, Best Director, Best
Cameraman, Best Screenplay, Best Art Director
○ Burgas International Film Festival, 2018 (Bulgaria) – Special
Selection
○ Short to The Point 2018 (Romania) – Official selection
○ BIAFF Film Festival 2018 (Georgia) – Semi-Finalist
○ Hyperfest International Student Film Festival 2018 (Romania)
– Official selection
○ So Independent International Film Festival 2019 (Bulgaria) –
Official selection
○ Eaurasia International Monthly Film Festival 2018 (Russia) –
Finalist
○ Inshort Film Festival 2019 (Nigeria) – Official selection
○ A screen for young cinematographers SFF Varna 2019
(Bulgaria) – Special selection
○ International Student Film Festival New Wave 2019 (Bulgaria)
– Official selection “Short Fiction”
○ Festival De Cinema Bulgare 2019, Paris – Official Selection
○ International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films 2019
(Bulgaria) – Official selection
○ The Quarantine Film Festival 2019 (Bulgaria) – Official
selection
DISTRIBUTION:
○ Filmgate BG – part of the selection of short films being
screened at Plovdiv Airport (Bulgaria) – June 2019
2018 – “The Message”, short film, 4 min.
Best Fiction Short at Cinema In Hand Festival for mobile films
(Bulgaria)

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I decided to make this film at the moment that I saw the play on stage - I was so moved the story of Natasha and her first ever falling in love. Up until that moment I have never imagined what it really is like to live in an orphanage in Bulgaria, why and how most of the children are there. I started a reasearch and I realised there is much more to add to this story than I thought.
I took the steps to make a script and find funding and after 6 months of more research, gathering the right team, looking for partnerships, filling all the necessary papers, I have won the money for the production.
The production was delayed because of COVID-19 but finally at the end of the summer 2020, we shot for 7 days in Sofia. It was a wonderful and productive process as we managed to film about 35 scenes for these 7 days and it was more than amazing.
I was looking for a real documentary feeiling - we chose hand held camera and 16/9 aspect ratio to recreate an early 2000s feeling and whole style of a television documentary. So the costumes and sets were chosen likewise.
I had a particularly special experience with the actors. The main actress was chosen because she has a great experince in documentary theatre and we used some of its specific techniques. The actresses were chosen by casting and turned out to be more than amazing. Natasha's friend had a much smaller role but we decided that we want to see more of her.
The editing was a bit difficult as we ran out of money for it but I tried many many versions until we found the best possible way to tell this story. Of course, it's not how the director imagined it because some of my ideas just couldn't find their place in the whole film, but still - I am satisfied that I tried something different and we did not use the conventional way of shooting - wide shot, close-ups, details... We shot it as real as possible.
I am glad that the process of creating this film helped me getting to know what is life inside such an institution like, how does one person changes because of that and what opportunities does one have after leaving it. I am hoping that this film will reach many many people and hopefully change their mind towads the people that come out of living in institutions.