The actress – best known for her role alongside Sacha Baron Cohen in ‘Borat 2’ becomes the first Bulgaria`s Golden Globe Nominee.
Bulgaria’s Maria Bakalova has been nominated for a Golden Globe as best actress in a musical or comedy, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced on Wednesday. The recognition is for her much-commented role in the satirical mockumentary Borat 2.
The nomination makes Bakalova the first Bulgarian actress recognised on such a level in the film industry. She has been nominated alongside Kate Hudson (Music), Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit), Rosamund Pike (I Care a Lot), and Anya Taylor-Joy (Emma).
The film, co-written by Sacha Baron Cohen and directed by Jason Woliner, follows the clumsy Kazakhstani journalist, Borat Sagdiyev, 14 years after the first one.
Bakalova stars as his daughter, Tutar, who, having been raised in a cage, is to be offered as a bride to (now former) US Vice President Mike Pence by Borat himself.
See more about: Maria Bakalova Becomes Bulgaria’s First Golden Globe Nominee | Balkan Insight
Maria Bakalova is also known from the Feature film from our catalog “Last Call”
The story starts with Nikola (Vasil Banov, from Stephan Komandarev’s Directions [+]), a 70-year-old writer determined to kill himself by jumping from a high bridge. At the very last moment, he notices a young girl (Maria Bakalova) on the verge of ending her life in the same way. The elderly man becomes obsessed with helping his young protégée find reasons to live, but his good intentions will soon start to backfire.
The screenplay was written by Bozhan Petrov, Penchev and Vesel Tsankov. Phillip Avramov, Malin Krastev, Anton Radichev and Stefan Denolyubov play other significant parts in this ensemble film.
Director Penchev explains his approach to comedy to Cineuropa: “The different groups of people in my films provide a ‘snapshot’ of the entirety of society. The goal of a good comedy, in my opinion, is for as many people as possible to recognise themselves in the characters and be able to laugh at themselves – and, if possible, think about what the important and essential things are in their lives.”
As for producer Stoyan Stoyanov, he says that Last Call is a comedy, but its purpose is not only entertainment, as “significant themes are explored between the lines”. The plan is to release the film in Bulgaria in October or November, depending on the consequences of the health crisis.
More details: Last Call to try to lure Bulgarian audiences back to cinemas – Cineuropa
