‘Vasil’: The unexpected guest

During the eight days in which eCartelera covered the 67th edition of the Seminci de Valladolid, ‘Vasil’, the first feature film by Valencian Avelina Prat, has become one of the most distinguished films in the official selection. Proof of this is his resounding victory in the winners list, winning the best actor award for its two protagonists, Karra Elejalde and Ivan Barnevan ex aequo award well deserved by what is one of those jewels of Spanish cinema in 2022, with a proposal that evokes certain spirit of life gap of Japanese cinema.

‘Vasil’, inspired by a true anecdote lived by the director’s father, starts from a premise that is rarely seen -at least in the Spanish industry-, because he tells how a retired architect, Alfredo, welcomed a Bulgarian immigrant, Vasil, who is sleeping on the street, into his home and says it over the phone to Luisa, his incredulous daughter. The film begins in medias res, which evokes a style closer to the drama of the French costume designers. Furthermore, Prat’s style for much of the film may be similar to that of Julien Rappeneau in “Rosalie Blum” or Jean-Paul Rouve in “Memories”, features he may be related to.

The action begins with the storyline already started off camera, causing the viewer to construct what has been seen. The change of routine is what will cause the plot to begin its development, which is conquering for its warmth and slow pace that reminds us that we are facing a slow-burning drama.one of those who delight like a cup of coffee in an elegant coffee shop in the Fuente del Berro or Prosperidad district -although the plot is in a Valencia that looks beautiful with autumnal tones-.

And with a plot that has the merit of telling the story through everyday life and everyday life, hides a story of extremely captivating characters, with an exquisite cast. Who really stands out is Karra Elejalde, with one of her most sober roles and one of the most sublime of her most recent filmography. The Basque actor plays a grumpy adorable, who gradually breaks his armor and reveals a charismatic man much closer than he looks. Precisely, here you can see Prat’s hand with small detailsas it shows how, even among people who love each other, it is difficult to express oneself with the heart.

A beautiful everyday jewel

And whoever drives this is Vasil, played by Ivan Barnev. Although unknown to the majority of the Spanish public, you are dealing with one of the great names of Bulgarian cinema, a regular actor in the tandem of directors formed by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, both converted into the main referents of today’s social cinema. Given that the director was inspired by a real situation, what is interesting is that Prat herself confessed that she never met the man that her father hosted for a few months at her house.

From that base, he creates a mysterious protagonist, who is never fully known. There, Barnev’s image helps, as it breaks the stereotype that the Bulgarian citizen has in Spanish public opinion. The interpreter proposes a charismatic character, whose background is unknown (a traumatic past can be glimpsed), but from whom one senses a big heart. It is that game of saying without saying what makes her interpretation magnificent and fascinating, which goes well with that of Ejelade, showing a splendid interpretative duo (more than that ex aequo prize at Seminci), full of warmth.

Elejalde and Barnev are supported by some magnificent secondary, Alexandra Jiménez, Sue Flack and Susi Sánchez stand out precisely, three different looks at the unexpected guest. The first is reminiscent of the appearance of the director herself, although brought to the field of fiction. The second represents a reality rarely talked about in the Spanish narrative, that of upper-class immigrants and how they are never seen as ‘outsiders’, in contrast to those resourceless foreigners looking for an opportunity.; leaving, in a subtle way, a critique of xenophobia and how it is covered with a patina of aporophobia, added to a frontal portrait of the bureaucratic problems that many migrants face. The third is perhaps the most cynical aspect and the stark contrast between the first two. All of them are the backdrop to a film that, in itself, conquers the audience for its story.

‘Vasil’ is a little hidden gem. A miracle that appreciates having seen the light, which shows that there is the possibility of making that bourgeois cinema that is seen most abundantly in France. Made with care and attention for its protagonists, with a slow-cooking plot, Avelina Prat’s first feature film, in its mixture of fairy tale and realistic drama, marks a sublime debut, one that invites you to want to see more.

Note: 7

The best: The chemistry that develops between Karra Elejalde and Ivan Barnev. The tone of the costume drama that evokes French cinema.

Worse: Its result is somewhat abrupt, lacking an ending closer to the cinema of well-being with a pedigree, such as the one that had, for example, the aforementioned “Rosalie Blum” or “Luces de París”.