Cinema
The Goat Horn
Козият рог
Metodi Andonov · 1972
Synopsis
Bulgaria, seventeenth century, under Ottoman rule. One night when the shepherd Karaivan is guarding his flock, four Turks break into his house, rape and kill his wife before the eyes of their little daughter, Maria, who loses her speech from it. The father burns down the house, takes the child to an isolated cabin in the mountains, cuts her hair and raises her as a boy, for vengeance. Nine years later, they find the culprits one by one. Then Maria falls in love with a young shepherd.
Context
The film comes from a story by Nikolai Haytov, who himself signs the screenplay. It is shot in about a month, for one hundred and fifty-six thousand leva, mostly near the Rila monastery and in the surrounding sheepfolds, with Katya Paskaleva, Anton Gorchev and Milen Penev; the director's daughter plays little Maria. Seen by more than two million spectators in three months, it is selected for Cannes, but a Turkish approach ensures that it is not shown there. It is nevertheless sold to sixty-two countries.
Who it is for
A harsh film with sparse dialogue; a French cassette was released by Cahiers du cinéma, and a Bulgarian DVD exists.
Prizes and reception
Special Jury Prize at Karlovy Vary, Silver Hugo at Chicago, Audience Award at Varna; submitted for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but not nominated.
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