site.btaLeading US Media Publish Flattering Reviews of Bulgarian Film "Fear" by Director Ivaylo Hristov

Leading publications in the United States release flattering reviews of the Bulgarian film "Fear" by director Ivaylo Hristov, which was Bulgaria's Oscar nomination for international film. The production was released in virtual cinemas in the United States, on Amazon, Apple TV and other streaming platforms in English and Bulgarian with subtitles in early March.

The New York Times writes that at the beginning of “Fear,” the dominant feeling is loneliness. The director, Ivaylo Hristov, is adept at slow-burning suspense and comic misdirection. He shows how words lead to actions, how jealousy and boredom blend with prejudice into a toxic brew.

The full article goes on to say that the main character, a middle-aged woman named Svetla (Svetlana Yancheva) gives off a strong Frances McDormand vibe — sarcastic, weary and impatient, her brusque manner shrouding a flinty decency. She’s the charismatic moral center of the film, much as McDormand was in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” “Fear” has a clearer, more detailed sense of place. The faces feel as lived-in as the landscape. The caustic, fatalistic humor has as strong and distinctive a local flavor as the hot peppers and mushrooms that Svetla prepares for Bamba.

Svetlana Yancheva was born in the city of Burgas on the Black Sea. She studied acting at the National Academy for Theater and Film Arts (NATFA) “Krastyo Sarafov” under Professor Nikolay Lyutskanov. Her first popular film appearance was the lead role in director Petar Popzlatev's film “Az Grafinyata” (The Countess) in 1989. She is best known for her roles in “Something in the Air” (1994), “Warming Up Yesterday’s Lunch” and “Investigation” in 2006, among others. Yancheva is also well known for her many roles on the Sofia theatre stage, including the Ivan Vazov National Theatre.