Film Screening and Discussion: TAI CHI

19:00h
Sofia Gallery

The Bulgarian Cultural Institute in London in conjunction with Shen Tong Fan Yuan Pictures present:

” Tai Chi ”
The first Bulgarian film featuring martial arts

The Event:
The Bulgarian Cultural Institute is committed to act as the pillar of and to drive forward the development of Bulgarian culture outside the borders of Bulgaria. With the kind support of the director of the institute Mrs. Svetla Dionisieva and the assistant Mrs. Alice Angelova, the film ”Tai Chi” will be shown to the UK audience in London. Admission is free. It will be presented by one of the producers, Angel Georgiev. The film was shot in Bulgaria, Varna city. Based on a true story, it is with the special presence of a true Chinese master of martial arts together with his students. Shen Fei is also the screenwriter, one of the producers and main characters of Tai Chi.The idea behind the movie is to express a different, than usual perspective of life, a new way of harmony in relationships and resolving conflict and thus to raise the spirit of the nation and promote Bulgarian culture. The music is made by the extremely talented Bulgarian composer Dimitar Hristov.

Director: Rosen Andonov
Writer: Shen Fei
Operator: Rosen Savkov
Installation: Todor Todorov
Producer: Angel Georgiev

Genre: Action, Documentary
Country: Bulgaria
Year: 2014
Duration: 60 min

The plot:
Fang (Shen Fei), a Chinese Tai Chi practitioner, lives a quiet life in Bulgaria. Things change when he attracts the attention of a person seeking to learn more about this practice – Professor Ivanov (Dean Ganetsovski ). As neither he nor his friends, who train other martial arts, can beat this master, they become his disciples. Nikolai (Ivaylo Ivanov),their former coach, finds himself abandoned by his trainees and feeling cheated and betrayed, he finds Master Fang and challenges him. The stakes are high …

The concept:
Bulgarians have always been well known for their values, culture and tolerance – qualities that allow the nation to move forward. This is where the strong inclination of Bulgarians towards personal and spiritual growth comes from. The film shows a new direction in the foundation ideas – Bulgarians to be active participants in the global community by seeking ways to be stronger, more capable and understanding. This can only be obtained through building on one’s strengths and developing one’s weaknesses. It therefore places an importance of the relationship between those who pass knowledge and those who gain knowledge i.e. a teacher and a student. This link has been known since ancient times and is an essential component of improvement.

The prospect:
Bulgaria is a country of many opportunities. Television and cinema production is one of the areas that have been increasingly developing in the country in recent years. Bulgaria is a preferred location for filming movies such as:

– Bloodsport 4 – 1999 Daniel Bernhardt
– War, Inc – 2006. Starring John Cusack and Hilary Duff
– The Tournament – 2009 English movie starring Ving Reims , Hugh Kelly , Robert Carlyle .
– Thick as Thieves -2009 years more names in the movie are Morgan Freeman and Antonio Banderas
– Command Performance – 2009 with Dolph Lundgren
– The grudge 3 – 2009 Bulgaria and Matthew Knight Shawnee Smith
– The Expendables 2 – 2012
– Enemies Closer with Jean -Claude Van Damme ;
– Killing Season – 20013 . Starring are Robert De Niro and John Travolta
– 300 Rise of the Empire – by well-known names in the film are Eva Green and Rodrigo Santoro . The film was released in March 2014
– The Expendables 3 – August 2014 starring Wesley Snipes , Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas , Jackie Chan and Mel Gibson etc.

The rich and varied natural Bulgarian scenery, the talent of Bulgarian actors, excellent technical facilities, harmonious and highly professional work environment collectively deliver exceptional results for foreign producers and attract foreign investments in Bulgaria.
The exchange opportunities, to which activities and events led by the Bulgarian Cultural Institute contribute, allow you to find great prospects for economic, cultural and spiritual development.

Additional information:
Tai Chi ( Taiji ) is a Chinese martial art and a prevalent style in the world with more than 300 million people practicing. The roots of Tai Chi should be sought back to ancient China, where in the early 15th century it was practices by monks in the Shaolin monastery. In the 1980s, Tai Chi became known in the Western world and today it is the most popular sport in USA and Western Europe after yoga .

Tai Chi, the art movements of ancient China is sometimes described as a moving meditation. Tai Chi strengthens and heals the body and soul, calms and focuses the mind and has a proven beneficial physiological effect by increasing flexibility, balance, muscle tone and control of the body.

Bulgarian Cultural Institute seeks to develop all aspects of personality of Bulgarians by a constant expression of cultural talents, artists, craftsmen etc. Thus giving the Bulgarians abroad that feeling of connectedness with their homeland and roots, that may help adaptation and better mental and spiritual condition of the Bulgarian community. Although Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art, Bulgarians have years of practice and improvement in it, allowing them to implement and adapt to the Bulgarian experience.

Team:
Producer: Angel Georgiev and Shen Fei
Executive Producer: Rosen Andonov

Director: Rosen Andonov and Shen Fei
Second unit director : Angela Nedyalkova
Script Supervisor : Angela Nedyalkova
Director of the fight scenes : Shen Fei

Musical idea: Shen Fei
Composer : Dimitar Hristov
Music editor Dimitar Hristov
Text , music and performing the song ” Tian Di Feng Shui ” : Shen Fei
Sound field , post-production sound and sound design : Studio LP

Writer: Shen Fei
Assistant – Writer Angel Georgiev

Director of Production: Angel Georgiev

Chief Operator Rosen Savkov
Assistant – operators : Antony Stoev and Angela Nedyalkova
Lighting and grip: Rosen Savkov , Antony Stoev and Angela Nedyalkova
Photographer: Daniela
Installation : Todor Todorov
Director Postproduction : Ilko Tsvetkov
Postproduction : Todor Todorov
3D Animation: Ivan Stoyneshki
Makeup: Joana Georgieva
Assistant – Makeup: Zornitca Panova and Maria Ivanova

Wardrobe : Daniel Mitev and Zornitca Panova
Costumes: Veselin and Margarita Haralambiev
Artist: Dean Ganetsovski
Details: Tsvetan Popov, Plamen Kondov and George Tabakov
Catering : Sun Jun Yo , Daniel Mitev and Tzvetan Popov
Marketing Manager : Angel Georgiev
Editor: Angel Georgiev and Rosen Andonov

Cast :
Master – Fang Shen Fei
Coach – Nikolay Ivanov Ivaylo
Prof. Ivanon – Deyan Ganetsovski
Yassen – Angel Georgiev
Alex – Plamen Kondov
Boris – Tsvetan Popov
Chef – Lao Zhang Jun Song Yo
Nina – Zornitca Panova
Lily – Maria Ivanova
Annie – Juliana Ilieva
Stoyan – George Tabakov
Elena – Angelova Miglena

Also starring : Ivaylo Dobrev, Daniel Mitev , Daniela , Pearl Valtchev, Yavor Iliev, Alexander Pavlov, Christina Atanasova, Dimitar Petkov, Todor Todorov.