A Dose of Happiness (2019)

The real story of the journalist Vesela Toteva (in the role is her daughter -Valentina Karoleva) searching for her own happiness during the dynamic and uncertain 90's in Bulgaria. A tale about drugs, fall, fear and redemption.

Director:

Yana Titova

Writers:

Yana Titova, Vesela Toteva (book)

Stars:

Valentina Karoleva, Dimitar Nikolov, Aleksandar Aleksiev

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Valentina Karoleva	...	Vesela
Dimitar Nikolov	...	Joro
Aleksandar Aleksiev	...	Tony
Assen Blatechki	...	Ivan
Lydia Indjova	...	Bistra
Irmena Chichikova	...	Krasi
Tsvetan Aleksiev	...	Milen
Sofiya Borisova	...	Valya 8 y.o.
Stela Borisova	...	Valya 10 y.o.
Vasil Binev	...	The Father
Stoyan Doychev	...	Bear
Stefan Valdobrev	...	Man in a wheelchair
Ilka Zafirova	...	Gerdjikova M.D.
Ivan Barnev	...	Lenny
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Aya Aleksiev	...	Valya 4 y.o.

Storyline

During the 90's drugs become widely available in Bulgaria. A tale about searching for happiness, but finding hell, because Happiness as the Devil, has many faces. A love story changes her life upside down and at the same time destroys it. However, her family is always with her and helps her in difficult moments. Based on the book "Fall and Salvation: The Confession of a drug addict" (2016) by Vesela Toteva. She died unexpectedly on March 4th 2019.

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Plot Keywords:

fear | 

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Taglines:

A young woman's search for happiness takes her and her daughter on a road that leads to hell and back.

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

[All trivia items for this title are spoilers.]

User Reviews

"A Dose of Happiness" is a phenomenon for Bulgarian cinema

Yes, people, go watch "A Dose of Happiness"! I can't fall sleep after I've watched it because this is a true phenomenon for Bulgarian cinema. I'm ashamed I went to congratulate the cast and crew while I was crying. Terrible... A grown-up woman like me, crying like a school girl. I'm not like that. I'm a serious, controlled, all in black, pseudointellectual (without the cigarette and the vodka bottle - a joke about the other pseudointellectuals). But there's something in you, some kind of a drive that doesn't let you go free and makes you say something, but you can't because you're crying, helpless. Thank you for making me feel this helplessness! I don't like feeling that way and being that way. But this helplessness was a great moment for my body and soul! Everyone will find something for themselves in this film. Everyone will be impressed by different things. You'll see, you'll understand. Do you know what's best? I can say this is an art-house film with a solid message, beautiful and touching story. It felt like European cinema with a Hollywood ending. Because I'm sick and tired of art messed up films which you think you've understood and want to talk about but you actually can't because it was just an artistic nonsense. No! "A Dose of Happiness" is unambiguous, with psychologically real characters, there's sensitivity, emotions, and feelings! There's Love and God! There's Truth! There's Power! There's a Reason that stays with you! And Valentina Karoleva is... Words can't describe my feelings about her. And I'd better not attempt it then. Thank you, Valentina! Thank you, Yana Titova! Thank you, Aleksandar Aleksiev! Thank you, Martin Balkansky! Thank you, Dimitar Nikolov, you theatre machine! Thanks to all the people who'd given a dose of their lives to give us a dose of happiness in this times, deprived of simple reason.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook [Bulgaria] Official site

Country:

Bulgaria UK

Language:

Bulgarian

Release Date:

8 November 2019 (Bulgaria)

Also Known As:

Dawka szczęścia

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$61,698

Company Credits

Production Co:

No Blink !, Reason8 Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Color:

Color