VASIL
Vasil is a Bulgarian immigrant who lives on the street. Intelligent and charismatic, he has an amazing talent for chess and bridge, so much so, in fact, that despite being homeless, he manages to make a name for himself in an exclusive and prestigious club in the city. There, he meets Maureen, an Irish woman who’s an advocate for social justice. Maureen turns to an old friend, Alfredo, to see if he can put Vasil up in his home. And he accepts.
What was supposed to be a temporary arrangement lasting just a few days soon turns into months. The differences between Alfredo and Vasil are obvious: a retired man who’s set in his ways and a bohemian spirit who makes his living however he can. The only thing the two men have in common is their passion for chess. But despite all these contrasts Vasil will slowly break down the barriers put up by Alfredo. Because Vasil has this gift: he makes a difference to all the people he relates to.
“A subtle, silent and seemingly gentle comedy, which talks about friendship, solidarity, the search for our place in the world, hatred, mistrust and respect.” Fotogramas
“Vasil's main strength is its dialogues, because that is what the film is about... the ties of communication and the place of the “other”; the film's architecture is simple and the camerawork conventional and it has the perfect framework of the two protagonists' wonderful performances.” ABC
“Karra Elejalde and Ivan Barnev are the pillars of a film that finds its tone in the small gestures [...] A charming film". ElPaís
“A wonderful celebration of the everyday. A marvellous performative duo. A sublime debut”. ECartelera
“A precise, beautiful and profoundly humanistic exercise in filmmaking”. El Mundo
“Vasil is a charming story of friendship and acceptance, which explores the everyday with humanism and humor”. Cine en la SER
“Elejalde and Barnev in the lead roles have deservedly won the shared award for Best Actor at the Seminci, with their organic performance of the graceful nuances in the communication between two people who represent opposing universes. Meanwhile, the dominant interior scenes and the warm tones of the image help create an intimate atmosphere in keeping with the plot that touches on the most delicate facets of human relationships.” Cineuropa