Triumph (2024 film)

Triumph
Promotional release poster
Directed by
Written by
  • Kristina Grozeva
  • Decho Taralezhkov
  • Petar Valchanov
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyKrum Rodriguez
Edited byYorgos Mavropsaridis
Music byThodoris Oikonomou
Production
companies
  • Five Oceans
  • Abraxas Film
  • Graal Films
Release date
  • 8 September 2024 (2024-09-08) (TIFF)
Countries
  • Bulgaria
  • Greece
LanguageBulgarian
Budget€545,000

Triumph (Bulgarian: Триумф) is a 2024 Bulgarian-Greek black comedy film directed by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov. The third and final installment of a trilogy of films by the directors, after The Lesson (2014) and Glory (2016), it stars Maria Bakalova, Julian Kostov, Julian Vergov, and Margita Gosheva.

The film premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, and was selected as the Bulgarian entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.

Premise

In the chaotic aftermath of the fall of communism in the 1990s, a task force composed of high-ranking Bulgarian army officers and psychics embarks on a top-secret military operation in the small village of Tsarichina to dig up an elusive alien artefact that would change the course of history and make Bulgaria great again. It is a black comedy film.

Cast

Production

The film received first development support from the Bulgarian National Film Center in 2018.[1] In 2019, Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov announced that Triumph was still in development, with filming expected to begin in late 2020 or 2021.[2] In August 2022, Deadline Hollywood reported that Maria Bakalova and Julian Kostov would co-produce the film and lead the cast.[3][4]

It is the third and last of Grozeva and Valchanov's "newspaper clippings" trilogy of films based on articles published in the local press, after The Lesson (2014) and Glory (2016).[5]

The film is a co-production between Five Oceans, Abraxas Film, and the Greek production company Graal Films, and was funded by the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Greek Film Centre, Eurimages, MEDIA, the Bulgarian National Television and ERT. Its budget was €545,000,[6] and filming took place in Bulgaria in 2022 and 2023.[1][3]

Release

The film premiered in the Platform Prize program at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2024.[7]

Accolades

Triumph was selected as the Bulgarian entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.[8]

Awards and nominations

Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Toronto International Film Festival 15 September 2024 Platform Prize Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov Nominated [7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Jeleva, Pavlina (29 August 2022). "Production: Kristina Grozeva and Peter Valchanov Shoot Bulgarian/Greek Triumph Starring Maria Bakalova". Film New Europe. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  2. ^ Scarpa, Vittoria (25 October 2019). "Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov • Directors-producers of Triumph". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (25 August 2022). "Maria Bakalova To Headline & Produce 'Triumph' In Her First Bulgarian Movie Following 'Borat' Breakthrough". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  4. ^ Lindert, Hattie (25 August 2022). "Maria Bakalova takes on first hometown project in Bulgaria following her stateside success". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  5. ^ Bergeson, Samantha (25 August 2022). "Maria Bakalova to Produce and Star in Her First Bulgarian Movie Post-'Borat'". IndieWire. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  6. ^ Dobroiu, Ștefan (27 September 2022). "Petar Valchanov and Kristina Grozeva hunt for alien artefacts in Triumph". Cineuropa. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  7. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (23 July 2024). "Atom Egoyan, Hur Jin-ho & Jane Schoenbrun To Preside Over TIFF Platform Jury; Sidebar Unveiled". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (4 September 2024). "Oscars: Bulgaria Submits TIFF Selection 'Triumph' Starring Maria Bakalova For International Film Race". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 6 September 2024.