Zift

Always-fun 9:00 am showing this fine morning to kick off a three-film day.   And a full house, remarkably.  Filled with more people whom I overheard saying "I have no idea what this film is about" then I can ever recall.    I hope they were all as pleased as I was with Zift. 

I loved this film.    It's a Bulgarian noir film set in the early 60's Soviet-rule-era Sofia.   It had all of the elements of the noir genre, along with a rich sense of irony, interlaced with an effective critique of totalitarianism.   Very stylish, well-paced, dramatic and surprising, and at times hilarious, in a very Eastern European way.   Great performances and cinematography, taut direction.....highly recommended. 

Interestingly, the film's only other showing to date was at the recent Moscow International FF, where it was well enough received despite the content, to garner the best director's award.