Statement of the Jury (Isabelle Casez, Birgit Guðjonsdottir, Sabine Panossian)

»We were impressed with the successful collaboration between director and cinematographer. This is clearly a team effort; they trust each other implicitly and have developed a common artistic vocabulary. It is already the fifth film Constanze Schmitt has made with Eliza Petkova. Their work is always respectful, observant, unobtrusive and calm. It is driven by a strong feeling of closeness, warmth and empathy towards the protagonists. The title Mayor, Shepherd, Widow, Dragon lists the most important players in a dwindling community in the Bulgarian mountain village of Pirin. Centuries-old traditions have fallen silent, and abandoned houses are being reclaimed by nature.

Most villagers have left, but this film is interested in the people who have remained. The camerawork is grounded, in sync with the peacefulness and slowness of the surroundings. The few sequences shot with a handheld camera are so steady it almost goes unnoticed. Precise framing and carefully selected image compositions play a key role in the successful portrayal of the protagonists, whose fates are poignant. Their longings and fears still define their inherently structured, simple life.

The film is a humorous documentation of a unique place in Europe that will soon disappear altogether. It is a portrait of Pirin and its fascinating inhabitants. The images never force themselves to the fore to achieve a certain effect but are always used in a meaningful way. Their poetic quality allows us to immerse ourselves in this lost, magical world.«

Guest: Constanze Schmitt 

This film has been nominated for the Audience Award endowed with 1,000 euro. Please vote after watching the movie.
You can find an overview of all nominated films here.