Outside the Box [Office] invites you to attend
 

A Special Theatrical Screening of

TRIUMPH

Bulgaria's Official Entry for Best International Film
at the 2025 Academy Awards

Directed by Kristina Grozeva & Petar Valchanov
Written by Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov, Decho Taralezhkov
Produced by Kristina Grozeva & Petar Valchanov

3:00 P.M. on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024

The Michelle and Kevin Douglas IMAX Theatre, RZC 119
Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts
3131 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.
RSVPs ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.
 

CLICK HERE TO RSVP
 

About Triumph

After the Fall of Communism in the early 1990s, a classified task force of high-rank Bulgarian Army officers led by a psychic channeler starts digging a hole in search of a mysterious artefact which will bring about the ultimate triumph.

Running time: 97 minutes. In Bulgarian, with English subtitles.

Directors' Note

Following THE LESSON (2014) and GLORY (2016), TRIUMPH is the logical conclusion of the trilogy inspired by sensationalist news stories from the life in a country as controversial and absurdist as Bulgaria. The story of TRIUMPH mirrors actual events that took place between 1990 and 1992, the turbulent early days of Bulgarian democracy. We tried to create a multi- layered story that achieves profound insights about both the individual and society without resorting to a didactic and lecturing tone, but by using the tools of comedy and satire instead.

On one hand, the film explores the trauma of the communist legacy and how confused and lost the societies of the young democracies have turned out to be after the fall of the Iron Curtain. On the other hand, TRIUMPH is also a look at an ominous future, in which grandiose nationalist desires and military madness reverberate like an echo.

Our characters are caught in this tangled cinematic reality between a past that threatens to repeat itself and a future that seems to have already been. They are both allegorical- metaphorical figures, representing different social strata, and real people, drawn from real-life prototypes. This makes them both convincing and paradoxical in their vulnerability and self- importance, power-lust and desire for submission, insecurity and arrogance.

Pirina is a metaphorical image of the charming mystic; she is the religious opium that promises greatness and eternity in these prosaic and uncertain times. An underdog until recently, she has managed to infiltrate the highest military circles and influence important state decision makers. Col. Platnikov starts out as the epitome of common sense, but is naively consumed by the promises of a brave new world where everything seems to magically sort itself out and there are no unsolvable problems. Driven by romantic feelings, he boldly replaces his previous views and knowledge with blind faith in new, albeit incomprehensible ideas. The General represents those desperate people who cling to the last hope and refuse to see the truth, however obvious it may be. Maj. Chernev, of course, is the incarnation of greed and opportunism of the small man for whom nothing is sacred.

And Slava, who believes that she and her beloved are destined to create the new race, represents that lost young generation which, like Icarus, wants to fly close to the sun without caring that they’ll get burned. She is a symbol of purity and the sincere belief in miracles, she is the eternal child and her ridiculous dance is nothing but the attempt of the wounded soul to escape the body and fly free.

These are our heroes. And what do they do? They dig! Incessantly, frenetically they drive their picks and spades into the black earth, searching for a treasure or a space pod, or a vault of extra-terrestrial knowledge, or God knows what, not realizing that what they’re ultimately trying to do – to quote another controversial character from another epic tragicomedy, Zorba the Greek – is to “dig the devil out of their black souls".

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu
 

Check-In & Reservations

This screening is free of charge and open to the public A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 2:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Director of Programming and Special Projects, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

NO STUDENT, STAFF, FACULTY OR THEATER PARKING IS AVAILABLE AT THE ROBERT ZEMECKIS CENTER.

We recommend Parking in the USC Shrine Parking Structure, located 686 W 32nd St. Parking passes may be purchased at the gate. Metered street parking is also available along 32nd street.

The USC Robert Zemeckis Center is located at 3131 South Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90007, one block north of Parking Structure D, on the North side of the Shrine Auditorium. The RZC entrance is located at the rear of the building, behind the red fence on 32nd St.

Contact Information

Name: Alessandro Ago
Email: aago@cinema.usc.edu