Making Friends with the Idea of a Father

Prompted by the birth of his third child, director Nikolay Stefanov wants to find the truth about his father’s killing in 1994 in post-totalitarian Bulgaria. He starts his DIY investigation by following the steps of his father on his last day. State institutions keep closing doors in his face, and he slowly discovers there was no police case at all.

Facing the crime investigation’s dead-end, standing at the crossroad between revenge and reconciliation, Nikolay realizes the only way forward is actually inward: making peace with his alcoholic father and his own troublesome youth marked by drug addiction and antisocial behavior, and trying to improve the relationship with his kids.

With a multilayered visual narrative blending POV shooting, animation, and historical, found and personal archive, the film delves into unprocessed grief and its effects on the next generations. From true crime to psychological thriller, it offers a touching exploration of being a father, a son, and a man in this day and time.