A wry Bulgarian joke posits that all Bulgarians are optimists because the pessimists have long since left the country. Stephan Komandarev, director of the Festival hit The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner (PSIFF 2010), explores the current state of the nation in his latest drama. Unfolding over the course of 24 hours, it follows a group of taxi drivers and their clients as they discuss the woes of contemporary Bulgaria and the desire to find a more promising way forward. We see that each decision has a ripple effect on others. We learn that one person’s death could give another person the chance at a new life. And we realize that just one simple act of kindness will indeed make a difference. The stories are connected by a radio show that poses questions but gives no answers.

Unusual and insightful, this is a film about a society’s need—and hope—for a new direction.