Uncle Tony, Three Fools and the Secret Service
Documentary that has attracted outrage in its home country for revealing the power-play and intrigue underlying Bulgaria’s animation history.
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Mina MilevaDirectorChristmas Carol The Movie
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Vesela KazakovaDirectorBecause of Her
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Mina MilevaWriter
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Vesela KazakovaWriter
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Mina MilevaProducerBecause of Mum
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Vesela KazakovaProducerBecause of Mum
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Plamen GelinovPhotography
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Vasilena GoranovaPhotography
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Vesela KazakovaPhotography
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Emilian GatsovMusic
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Donka IvanovaEditing
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Alexander SimeonovSound mix
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Mina MilevaAnimation and compositing
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Antony TrayanovWith the special participation of:
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Mina MilevaWith the special participation of:
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Georg YordanovIn the role of the young Antony:
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Mina MilevaVoice-over:
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Bulgarian National Film Centre (for development)The film is supported by:
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Bulgarian National Television (with archive)Co-produced by:
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NOVA FILMCo-produced by:
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Project Title (Original Language):Чичо Тони, Тримата глупаци и ДС
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Project Type:Animation, Documentary, Feature
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Runtime:1 hour 27 minutes 11 seconds
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Completion Date:May 1, 2014
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Production Budget:52,000 EUR
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Country of Origin:Bulgaria
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Country of Filming:Bulgaria, United Kingdom
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Language:Bulgarian, English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Black & White and Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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20th Sarajevo Film FestivalSarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
August 19, 2014
International Premiere
Nomination for Best Documentary -
18th Baltic Sea Forum for DocumentariesRiga, Latvia
September 3, 2014
Latvian Premiere -
6th Astra Film FestivalSibiu, Romania
October 8, 2014
Romanian Premiere
Nomination for Best Documentary -
43th Festival du Nouveau CinémaMontreal, Canada
October 10, 2014
Canadian Premiere -
30th Warsaw Film FestivalWarsaw, Poland
October 12, 2014
East European Premiere
Nomination for Best Documentary -
36th Cairo International Film FestivalCairo, Egypt
November 17, 2014
African Premiere -
27th European Union Film Showcase – American Film InstituteWashington D.C., United States
December 17, 2014
USA Premiere -
26th Trieste Film FestivalTrieste, Italy
January 20, 2015
Italian Premiere -
6th Berlin Independent Film FestivalBerlin, Germany
February 9, 2015
German Premiere
Best Director -
11th ZagrebDox International Documentary Film FestivalZagreb, Croatia
February 23, 2015
Croatian Premiere -
7th Millenium International Documentary Film FestivalBrussesls, Belgium
March 24, 2015
Belgium premiere -
9th Flatpack Film FestivalBirmingham, United Kingdom
March 28, 2015
UK Premiere -
20th Vilnius International Film FestivalVilnius, Lithuania
April 1, 2015
Lithuanian Premiere -
9th Canada International Film FestivalVancouver, Canada
April 12, 2015
Royal Reel Award -
9th Mexico International Film FestivalMexico city, Mexico
May 1, 2015
South American Premiere
Bronze Palm Award -
2nd Florida Movie FestivalCasselberry, Florida, USA
May 5, 2015
Women D/P Finalist Documentary -
8th Beldocs International Documentary Film FestivalBelgrade, Serbia
May 11, 2015
Serbian Premiere -
8th International Heritage Film Festival “Idols”Sofia, Bulgaria
May 17, 2015
1st place in “Art” category -
The Accolade Global Film Competition
June 16, 2015
Award of Merit: Documentary Feature -
1st Hoosierdance International Film FestivalKokomo, Indiana, USA
June 26, 2015 -
4th Madrid International Film FestivalMadrid, Spain
July 4, 2015
Spanish Premiere -
Salt Lake International Film Festival
August 11, 2015 -
4th Cebu International Documentary Film FestivalCebu, Philippines
August 15, 2015
Philippine Premiere -
4th TrindieFest Film Festival
September 27, 2015
Honorable Mention -
3rd AegeanDocs International Documentary Film Festivalvarious locations in Greece
September 28, 2015
Greek Premiere -
8th Bushwick Film FestivalBrooklyn, NY, USA
October 3, 2015
Best Feature Documentary -
4th BULDOC Berlin 2015 - Days of Bulgarian Documentary CinemaBerlin, Germany
November 1, 2015 -
3rd Phnom Penh International Film FestivalPhnom Penh, Cambodia
November 7, 2015
Cambodian Premiere -
29th Leeds International Film FestivalLeeds, UK
November 8, 2015 -
26th Carthage Film FestivalTunisia
November 22, 2015
Tunisian Premiere -
1st Cutting Edge Film FestivalPompano Beach, Florida
United States
December 8, 2015 -
1st Lisbon International Film FestivalLisbon
Portugal
March 25, 2016
Portuguese Premiere -
6th SEE Film FestivalParis
Australia
May 31, 2016
French Premiere -
2nd Phoenix Film Festival MelbourneMelbourne
Bangladesh
June 22, 2016
Australian Premiere
Best Documentary -
1st International Open Film FestivalDhaka
Bangladesh
June 15, 2016
Country Best Award -
TrueDoc Documentary Festival
Ukraine
September 8, 2016 -
Southway Film Fest
Ukraine
September 15, 2016 -
3rd Toronto World International Film FestivalToronto
Canada
September 23, 2016 -
2nd Hong Kong World International Film FestivalHong Kong
China
September 25, 2016 -
2nd Singapore World International Film Festival
Singapore
September 30, 2016
Singaporian Premiere
Distribution Information
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Activist 38 Ltd.Country: BulgariaRights: All Rights
Mina Mileva studied Theatre and Stage Design in Bulgaria and specialised in Dresden, Germany.
She then graduated animated film directing in the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA), Sofia, and in the Academy for visual Arts (La Cambre), Brussels.
Her student films Contrasts’92, Monday again’96 and Un verre ou deux’98, were officially selected at many festivals and received awards at Animafest, Zagreb’98 and Salvador Dali Universe, London ’99.
Mina subsequently worked in London as an animator, storyboard and layout artist and director on numerous commercials, TV series, music videos and films, including couple of Disney features. She designed and directed the six-minute dream sequence in the feature film Christmas Carol the Movie’2001, a Miramax USA and UK Film Council production voiced by Nicholas Cage, Kate Winslet and other stars and directed by Jimmy T. Murakami.
Mina’s later work includes five Co-op commercials, music videos for the groups Goldspot, Infadels and Roxette, the BBC children’s series, Just so Darwin, Blue Dragon (both BAFTA and RTS nominated), Tommy Zoom and Telling Tales.
In 2008, back in her native Bulgaria she founded Production Company Activist 38 with Vesela Kazakova, after their successful collaboration on the documentary Because of Her. The company develops 2 feature film coproductions and several documentaries, while maintaining services for the British Animation Industry. The company is a member of documentary network EDN and MEDIA supported.
UNCLE TONY, Three Fools and the Secret Service co-directed with Vesela Kazakova is her Documentary Debut.
Vesela Kazakova graduated both acting and producing respectively in the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts and University of Economics in Sofia.
Her first roles in the cinema and on stage brought her the debut awards for best young actress in Bulgaria in 2002. Further lead roles in six films have snapped up prestigious prizes for best female actress in Bulgaria and abroad, Silver George Award in Moscow Film festival in 2005, and Berlinale Shooting Stars Award in 2006 amongst them.
Vesela started producing theatre performances and then gradually turned to film producing and directing. This activity led to setting up a production company Activist38 with Mina Mileva. The company had succeeded in being one of the most active young representatives of Bulgarian cinema at the European markets and festivals such as "Producers Network" in Cannes and "Share Your Slate" in Berlin. Activist38 animated film Because of Mum is the first film sold to ARTE G.E.I.E. by a Bulgarian producer.
Her latest acclaimed doc Uncle Tony, Three Fools and the Secret Service, co-directed with Mina Mileva had caused major controversy in Bulgaria but it also achieved prestigious selections and awards. It premiered at Sarajevo film Festival and later made it to several A-list festivals such as Warsaw IFF and Cairo IFF. Variety magazine gave it a large review, which also covered the controversy. The film was picked by the American Film Institute for the showcase "Best of European cinema 2014" and it premiered in December in Silver Theatre, Washington DC.
Vesela Kazakova is EAVE 2013 graduate and also one of the Emerging Producers’13 in Jihlava.
“Uncle Tony” – Antoni Trayanov is a world-class animator whom I’ve known for more than 20 years and I had the privilege to study the craft directly from him. Thanks to this I, Mina Mileva made a career in the British animation industry.
In the 60s, ‘70s, and 80’s Communist Bulgaria had a celebrated animation studio, and Trayanov was the invisible creative force behind some of Bulgaria’s most memorable and well-travelled animated films.
Some of these films were done in a tandem with Donio Donev who was a loyal Communist Party member and an agent for the Secret Service. Donev managed to build a spectacular international career using Trayanov’s skills and talent as stepping-stones.
Together with intriguing personal story we’re building a bigger picture of the time and imposing a nuanced and layered critique on the totalitarian system.
Unlike the rest of the former East European countries, Bulgaria – has not yet dealt with its past and the role of the Secret Service during communism. Subtle and subversive suppression of free-minded people still takes place, which is why Uncle Tony’s story is hugely relevant.
Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova