I was first hesitating whether to write a review but reading the only review here and the relatively low rating of this movie, I felt somehow obliged to say my alternative opinion. And it is that the movie is a surprisingly good one from an unexpected team of creators - Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Iraq and Romania.
For me the 'secret' is in the fact that the screenplay is based on a true strory proposed by an Iraqi journalist.
The main line that the 'woman of someone's life' is actually the 6-years girl with whom the 6-years boy was engaged in his childhood is a very good concept well put into an art conflict with the monsterous reality of the Cold War, the competing East and West, the hypocricy of the politics and the secret services, no matter who/ which they are.
The movie as if comes to confirm that yes, it is possible to feel belonging and to follow the pre-determination of a child engagement, yes, it is normal and even easeier and more predictable, practically it seems to be the best solution, if the partners are chosen well in advance by the elderly, who already have experience and know each other's families, yes, it is worth it to follow your finacée, even if or just because the engagement had been done in the wonderful childhood years, yes, you can and you have to fight and cross borders for your love and for your finacée, who had been decided for you by the family and God - major values in the respective community. The shocking contrast to the so-called ''liberal'' values actually adds a lot of value to the movie itself.
Another successful aspect is the authentic way of presentation of the communist and authoritarian regimes (Bulgaria and Iraq in the movie). The hypocricy, the deception, the abuse of human rights, the exploitation of human fates for any political reasons.
Like in real life, of cource, the personal stuff prevails the political one.
Good move deserving a high recommendation!
For me the 'secret' is in the fact that the screenplay is based on a true strory proposed by an Iraqi journalist.
The main line that the 'woman of someone's life' is actually the 6-years girl with whom the 6-years boy was engaged in his childhood is a very good concept well put into an art conflict with the monsterous reality of the Cold War, the competing East and West, the hypocricy of the politics and the secret services, no matter who/ which they are.
The movie as if comes to confirm that yes, it is possible to feel belonging and to follow the pre-determination of a child engagement, yes, it is normal and even easeier and more predictable, practically it seems to be the best solution, if the partners are chosen well in advance by the elderly, who already have experience and know each other's families, yes, it is worth it to follow your finacée, even if or just because the engagement had been done in the wonderful childhood years, yes, you can and you have to fight and cross borders for your love and for your finacée, who had been decided for you by the family and God - major values in the respective community. The shocking contrast to the so-called ''liberal'' values actually adds a lot of value to the movie itself.
Another successful aspect is the authentic way of presentation of the communist and authoritarian regimes (Bulgaria and Iraq in the movie). The hypocricy, the deception, the abuse of human rights, the exploitation of human fates for any political reasons.
Like in real life, of cource, the personal stuff prevails the political one.
Good move deserving a high recommendation!
