The film features an ensemble cast of established Bulgarian actors: as Bohemy Igor Angelov as Satura (The Hatchet) Hristo Shopov as Colonel Radoev Julian Vergov as the sadistic Captain Vekilsky Ivaylo Hristov as Daskala (The Teacher) Critical Reception and Awards
Remarkably, the film is inspired by a true story shared with the director over a decade ago. It is dedicated to the real , whose father was a friend of Makariev. While some elements were dramatized for the screen—such as the level of violence and the type of bird (a sparrow in real life vs. a pigeon in the film)—the core theme of moral redemption remains grounded in reality. Cast and Creative Team The film features an ensemble cast of established
Critics have praised the film for its "breathtaking" cinematography and realistic dialogue, often comparing its atmosphere to classics like The Shawshank Redemption or The Green Mile . It dominated the Bulgarian film scene upon release: a pigeon in the film)—the core theme of
The routine workday takes a fateful turn when a hulking murderer known as (Igor Angelov) discovers a small bird trapped inside his lathe. He refuses to start the machine until the bird is freed, leading to a tense standoff. What begins as a simple act of defiance escalates into a full-scale hostage situation as the prisoners barricade themselves in the workshop, risking their lives for a creature that symbolizes their own trapped humanity. Based on True Events He refuses to start the machine until the
The story is set in within the grim confines of the Kremikovtsy Steel Plant in Communist Bulgaria. A group of maximum-security inmates, led by a young prisoner named Bohemy (Alexander Sano), is offered a chance to shorten their sentences if they can double production.
Released in March 2022, (Bulgarian: V sǎrtseto na mashinata ) is a powerful thriller-drama that has been hailed as one of the best Bulgarian films of the last 30 years . Directed by Martin Makariev , this visceral film explores the unexpected emergence of compassion in a setting defined by brutality and despair. The Plot: A Siege for a Soul