Kozelat (2009) User Reviews

A look at Bulgarian Cinema

[josephsyu · 6/10 · 9 September 2012]

This is an odd film that will probably disconcert audiences who are more accustomed to slick and polished film making styles. The Goat almost seems to be on the level of a student film, with crude production values, meandering story and a lot of speechifying. But if you can stay with it until the end, it does offer a rewarding last scene. Otherwise, its probably mainly of interest to film buffs like myself who want to see how films are made in different cultures.

The movie concerns a goat who has been sent from the heavens to safeguard a treasure. He manipulates the kind-hearted Yona, in whose property the treasure is located to help him in his mission to protect it from discovery by interlopers such as the obsessed Rumbata. Meanwhile, despite Yona's intense nationalism, he eventually finds a connection with Rumba's American wife Emma, who is enamored with Bulgarian culture, in particular its folk songs, even though she never bothers to learn how to speak the language.

dull

[toronagasan · 1/10 · 11 March 2009]

Comedy ? No way. This film has nothing to do with the comic genre. It can be comic in the sense that the producers are making fun and to be more correct have fooled the of the state funds up with this film "The .Goat". The production budget exceeded 900 000 Euro for a modest story with an animal and a few actors in a natural set up. So probably the producer is smiling last and smiling best with the savings made from this cheep production. I wonder how an ambitious director like Djulgerov could make such a nonsense. Comic genre has never been his strength nor his neutral. For sure there is a beauty in this film for the passionate minimalists and nature savers or the greens. And this is the attractive billy goat. The beautiful animal who speaks. Unfortunately it is dubbed by the most unsuitable voice you can ever imagine. Sorry handsome goat unlucky by the human choice!

Stereotypes, bad acting and unclear message

[gospodinBezkrai · 3/10 · 23 March 2009]

It never became clear to me what is the main topic of the film! There was a number of divergent themes that seemed to fight for the director's attention. Alas, none of them were developed successfully.

As one example: Diulgerov tried to present one indeed very pressing problem of modern Bulgarian society - the pseudo-nationalism that is gripping a significant part of the nation. However, he did not -discuss- the problem, did not offer criticism or even a solution. He presented it in the most naturalist and banal way - by having all the characters of his film talk as chauvinists. At that, their behaviour was exaggerated and felt quite artificial. I would think Mr. Djulgerov wasn't sure that otherwise the audience would get it. Since the chauvinist line comes in without a logical introduction or preparatory context, one feels it is pointless and simply brutal.

Lack of context and introduction, naturalist stereotyping, artificiality (include lots of bad acting here) plague all the other topics in the film. Additionally, I was irritated by the rather forced peppering with "Balkanic exotics", sometimes making it look like a bad copy of Kusturica's style.

A wonderful film

[molecularb · 9/10 · 26 March 2009]

It's a wonderful film! Last year i heard about the shootings at the harbor in Burgas and i couldn't hardly wait to see it. Last week in Burgas it happened. It was amazing! The full cinema house and the people asking for another screenings. I think it's one of the best Bulgarian movies for the last few years. I laughed so hard at some scenes and so the audience did. So i think it could be a comedy, although i'm sure the director probably used the humor just to open another doors, what he did very well! And what the issues behind this doors are, so certainly this is difficult to be understand by everybody. But who did it, would have maybe my opinion of having a wonderful time watching this movie.

boring

[kika999999 · 1/10 · 15 March 2009]

The film was shown at the recent Sofia film festival. And it is a big nothing. Probably this comes from the script that fall to pieces and is very slow. Besides it is said to be comedy. The Goat continues the old fashioned deja view films of some false ethnographic folklore museum stile that no one cares about at all. It is a shame for a generally good director to be connected with such a failure. But probably it was worth from producers side as the film is a remarkably simple production for a very high budget for Bulgarian standards and is covered entirely with governmental grant. Acting is equally bad. But we are used to that in Djulgerov's films. It is not for the first time that the director tortures the audience with non professional actresses to experiment the level of their endurance. Compliments deserves only the black pedigree goat and his owners. Whether the content of the narration of the black goat is worth? I think it is not .

pure piece of art

[rhyme-rhyme · 10/10 · 30 March 2009]

First of all it doesn't matter the genre of the film. This is not a style drill.This is a film.It's task is not to look like as sensational stunt but to move deeply.The film is made as a naive painting - close to the great Georgian and Croatian naïve masters - Niko Pirosmani, Ivan Generalić, Mirko Virius...The interesting thing is that this is not gained trough the picturesque screen image -this is attained especially through the actors and their way of acting, which is very difficult.This is very close to the poetics of the Bulgarian writer Jordan Radichkov(the script is written after his novel 'The Goat') as his object of art is the human being with his illusions and naive notions about life, death and the great questions of existence. I'm very impressed by the cinematographic language that conveys this aspect of the literature material.The acting is brilliant - as is always in the films of George Diulgerov.I hope that such films will be produced and won't remain as a sole grain in a empty garner.This film has nothing to do with the plastic postmodern art that mocks every theme it gets nor with the narrative tearful American films close to the soc - realism.This a pure piece of art.I attribute some of the comments bellow to a lack of knowledge or to a prejudice towards the authors of the film.

A good film with a clear message

[kvasir-1 · 9/10 · 3 April 2009]

The film depicts a perfectly believable story - the ignorant, but good Yono, who is well portrayed by Ivan Barnev, who is a seething nationalist with a hatred for foreigners, who though in the end realizes his mistake and falls in love with the American woman Emma. The story is told by the Goat, who has been sent by the ancient Thracian gods to protect an ancient treasure - an it's mission is successful. A good film with both comic and serious moments.

I'm sure the above commentary ("dull") was written by one of Lyuba Kulezic's goons (Lyuba Kulezic is a Bulgarian journalist who widely criticized the film). It's sad that such people exist in this country and try to destroy somebody's reputation in such a typical Balkan way - a stab in the back. The film is not dull - in Plovdiv it won the Viewer's Prize. I don't think that everyone in Plovdiv would be such a moron to give a "dull" film a prize. The film was full of wit, charm and when I watched it the audience (me included) was splitting it's sides with laughter. To all critics who say that the film's budget was not used properly - all I can say is that to film on an archaeological site, such as Perperikon, there is a "rent" - every day of filming is expensive. And anyway, unlike the other modern Bulgarian films this one actually had a message - it showed the negative sides of the Bulgarian people, which so strongly show in the film's enemies. I hope that the gods strike them down. And, whoever wrote it has ABOMINABLE English!

Charming

[nev-nenova · 8/10 · 10 May 2010]

For those of you who haven't seen Kozelat yet, please don't let film critiques fool you that this is a film about a "talking goat" or a romantic comedy, because it isn't anywhere near that. Yes, there is a male goat (think of Lassie), but it rather appears as the narrator of the film. Nothing surreal here. The film, as any other, has it's romantic subplot, and it is hilarious for the most part, but if we are to call it a romantic comedy, then we have to call Kosturica's "Underground" a love triangle. Beneath the comical surface there is so much bitterness, that you only have to be part of the Bulgarian culture to really understand and appreciate this work of art. Basically the film is about a stubborn, yet very charming Yona (Ivan Barnev), late thirties, and his quest to preserve his country's long lost identity. The film also raises some political and social issues, but it is not too much to spoil the film. No worries. Kozelat will charm you with its high dosage of Balkan humor, its unforgettable images, and music that will make you numb. This film is definitely worth seeing, trust me! There is something that you will find to like whether it is the beautiful cinematography; the stunning performance of Ivan Barnev; the phenomena Angela Rodel (Emma) who sings beautifully Bulgarian folk songs as she speaks Bulgarian, or simply to see the work of one of the front-runners in Bulgarian cinema,director Georgi Djlgerov. Loved it. Bravo!!!!

A great movie, showing reality in a way that challenges your thoughts while you're laughing

[signs88 · 10/10 · 27 March 2009]

I was previously familiar with the work of Georgi Djulgerov, so when I went to the premiere of "Kozelat" (The Goat) I knew that I was about to see a good movie. Not only were my expectations truly fulfilled,but also I was left with an amazing feeling that I didn't just watch that movie - I lived through it, I live in it. It tells a great story with a mythical folklore magic in it, and at the same time it shows reality the way it is, with the questions it raises and the laughter it draws. And while you are busy thinking about national and international matters and how they blend, you are freely enjoying pictures of the way human nature goes...

A great film, modern times prove the eternal value of classics

[luciabs · 10/10 · 30 March 2009]

I watched the film "Kozelat" as the closing-night choice of the Burgas branch of the Sofia Film Fest "On the Beach". I went to see it not only because its director happens to be one of my most famous fellow-citizens, but also because whenever I have experienced the sight of any other of his films, I have surely left the cinema hall very much impressed. Kozelat didn't fail to do the same thing over again. I mostly enjoyed the optimistic approach to the preservation of Bulgarian cultural traditions to this day through the main characters, both Bulgarian and American, and the justified criticism towards the neglect of great locations of pure nature, which we still can find in our country. Ivan Burnev starring in the main male role also uncovered for me an enormous perspective of his talent, and I could admit I had never suspected such "grabbing-of-the-heart" powers to be lying inside his modest looks. I was also fascinated to watch the American actress, Angela Rodel, singing the most difficult to perform Bulgarian folk songs so beautifully, it was really touching, and after the film we saw her do this live on the stage! One really needs a huge pluck of courage and self-assuredness even to attempt it! Her character was the "changing" type, going through various many-sided moods and fits of temper, yet carrying the light of love that conquers all in the end. The audience in the movie theatre rose to their feet and applauded for a long time this film and its director, and the actors who came along as guests of our festival, I think we did it for the feeling of pride to be born in this country with the magic of its ancient inhabitants in our hearts forever. And I hope it has made us more conscious of our past and present and the paths to follow to lead a simple,honest life. I strongly recommend the experience of this film to people living in Bulgaria at the moment, especially to those not born here, and also to those who have left the country in search for a better living abroad. Here's a film to learn a heap from! Congratulations to all staff!

powerful

[deadly_mindz · 10/10 · 4 April 2009]

I think that this movie is one of the most beautiful Bulgarian movies i've ever seen. Everything was made so delicate and touching, especially the scene in the well. The actors were great. I like G. Dyulgerov especially for his work with the actors. he make their act natural, that's the difference between him and most of the other Bulgarian directors, who stake on the NATFIZ school way of acting. I 'm expecting the cinema performance to watch it again. When i saw Kozelat in the Film fest, my first words to my friends were - you all gotta watch this film, this film is different. The way of the directing is different, the way of acting is powerful. I have to say, that this movie gave me hope for future Bulgarian films.