Short Film AFIN 184
PARTY BUS
Directed by 
Dilyana Daneva
AFIN 2023 Nominee
- 2023
- 30m
-
Bulgaria - Bulgarian
- Drama
Stills
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Credits
Written by
Produced by
Synopsis
Alex is a bus driver for provincial psychiatry. He has to transfer a group of mentally ill patients to the clinic where he works at. It is a routine task, but the stakes are high. The patients should be dropped off at the clinic by noon. If he does not comply with this condition, Alex will lose not only his job, but also the chance to pay for his daughter's treatment. Everything is going well until he stops for a short break at a roadside bar. When he comes back, he finds the bus trashed and empty. The patients have disappeared. Deadlocked and helpless, Alex realizes he will lose everything, until a group of strangers stand on his way. They need help, just like him. Overwhelmed by emotions and determined to save his child, he makes a fateful decision that will change his life and the strangers’ lives.
Director's Statement
The main topic I discuss in PARTY BUS is the battle between good and evil, but not in society, but in the soul of an ordinary person, as well as the tragedy he is forced to go through. I also give a lot of attention to the relationships between people, emphasizing the lack of humanity in them, as well as the possible consequences that this can lead to. If you are cornered and treated like a beast, you will become one! Тhe main character Alex "exchanges" the freedom of seven strangers for his daughter's chance to live. His goal is to save his child, not to hurt other people. However, the pressing him circumstances - the lack of time, the bad attitude of others towards him, as well as his shaky psyche are the main reasons for what is happening. Another strong factor in his action is the fear of death, but not his, but that of his only child. Fear is a mild form of horror that one experiences in such situations, I know from personal experience. This combination is distorted by different interpretations of justice can turn even the best man cold-blooded criminal. Perhaps some would consider the main character's actions unrealistic or extreme, but who wouldn't be extreme if their child's life depended on it? I would, and you?! A happy ending was never an option in this movie story, because through it the lessons could easily be overlooked.
What makes this one special
- Programmed at 4 other festivalsAcross 3 countries
- Nominated for Best Emerging Female Director
- One of just 3 films from Bulgaria across eight seasons
- A first-time filmmaker
Also selected at
4 official selections across 4 other festivals
- SelectionBurgas International Film Festival
- SelectionBrno Film Festival/ European Short Awards Grand Prix
- SelectionCannes Film Awards
- SelectionIN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival
Recorded by the filmmaker on their entry.
Director's Biography
Dilyana Daneva Director
Dilyana Daneva is a native of Nova Zagora. In 2005, she graduated in Painting at the Art High School in the city of Kazanlak, after which he studied Acting for Drama Theater at the Lyuben Grois Theater College, Sofia. She is currently a student of Film and TV directing at Southwestern University "Neofit Rilski", Blagoevgrad. Dilyana is part of the production teams of several Bulgarian and international productions - "Silent Angel", "Tango in the Tunnel" and others. Winner of the Jury Award in the category "Best Actress" for her role as Maria in "Tango in the Tunnel" (2019) at the International Film Festival Los Angelis Motion Pictures - LAMP in Malibu, USA. "Party Bus" is her directorial debut. The project is supported by the National Culture Fund of Bulgaria, in program “Debuts”.
Trailer
Placings
Recognised in this category at AFIN 2023, as announced that season.
- Best Actor Finalist
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PARTY BUS was an official Nominee for Best Emerging Female Director at the AFIN International Film Festival 2023, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.
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