Pauline Shongov

All three judges agreed that this film was remarkably shot, and that the camera-work reflected the observational and responsive nature of a phenomenological or sensorial style of filmmaking. What initially may have begun as an exploration of archaeological practices evolves into a nuanced portrayal of the men that have been hired to excavate the site. Their repetitive gestures transform into an unpassionate “choreography” of moving dust, deftly captured by the camera amidst the backdrop of the excavation. Humble yet dynamic, the camera’s attentive explorative framing enables events to unfold freely and gives the viewer the opportunity to develop an interest in an otherwise perhaps dull space of hard labour. The camera breathes life into the static setting, fostering a relational aesthetics that flourishes alongside the protagonists, who are reflecting more and more freely about personal and social relations, aspirations and dashed promises, the meanings of the past and a blocked future in post-socialist Bulgaria. We felt that the film, through its camerawork exposes an ethnographic sensitivity that can make us find relevance and interest in any situation we might encounter. 

—Metje Postma, Rosella Ragazzi, and Michael Schönhuth, GIEFF jurors