"Devil"s Play" is a multi-layered, controversial and undeniably absolutely extraordinary film that, although it looks more like a Hollywood production, cannot fit into any familiar category.

On the surface, it's a classic genre story - loneliness, drugs, bigotry, a life of predators and victims, a love gone by and another coming from the future.

"Our film is a suspenseful thriller, but also a touching and emotional coming-of-age story, and a love letter to the Devil," says hit British director Ben Charles Edwards. Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Love is the hardest earthly test we are given, and one we spend a lifetime learning, because you have to step out of yourself and into the life of another. Though Sins, all the characters learn to love and experience their moment of revelation, for which every trial is but a preparation.

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The backbone of the film, the eternal theme of a struggle between good and evil, is resolved in an extraordinary way - Lucifer, the eternal seducer who has infallibly diagnosed humanity as an insatiable consumer of pleasure and chimeras, actually stands in the way of all evil. He interrupts destinies, separates parents and children, the companion and shadow to each sinner. Good is not its opposing force. The film lacks the familiar division between protagonists and antagonists. At the apex of society is the preacher of "good" (an extremely provocative role played by Mickey Rourke) - A false messiah, the bully, the "god-chosen one", the drunkard, the dictator.

Mickey Rourke in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Gary Stretch in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

"Our film is a suspenseful thriller, but also a touching and emotional coming-of-age story, and a love letter to the Devil," says hit British director Ben Charles Edwards. Източник: BLACK Sea Film

And in between are the most fallen of gods angles, the drug addicts, the flesh peddlers, the sinners, those who do evil closest to their godliness. The imagination behind the film is reminiscent of Dostoevsky's characters - everyone has paid their dues to the devil, but the wheel of life turns relentlessly in the direction of heaven.

It takes tremendous spiritual courage to sink so deeply into the details of the demonic, but without getting angry and moralizing, because no one can or should spare our suffering. People are so alienated from each other that someone has to make one feel ones cruelty. That is precisely the role of the Stranger - to make them aware of the evil and good of which we are all are capable.

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And all this against the background of the brilliant performance of an entire cast - from the Stranger - the angelic Lucifer (Dimitar Nikolov), his rebellious lover (Eleonora Ivanova), the magnificent and heartbreaking performance of Dessy Tenekedjieva as the deaf Maria - perhaps her best role yet.

From the strong on-screen energy of British cult actors Gary Stretch and "Roma Boss" Geoff Bell, right down to the most episodic portrayal, all are extremely accurate, original and most of all, painfully organic. Dennis Madden's exceptional cinematography, to whom the film owes so much, at times puts us in Bruegel's paintings. Up close, detailed, unflinching. Not coincidentally contrasted with superb Bulgarian locations and characters.

DEVIL’S PLAY was filmed in 39 locations throughout Bulgaria, as well as in Los Angeles and London. Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Dimitar Nikolov and Eleonora Ivanova in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Dessy Tenekedjieva in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

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The film's language is spare, at times irritating with the hard accents of a gangster film, but suddenly it sounds romantic, deep, warm and metaphysical. It's as if the very essence of the characters rises. And it is a kaleidoscope of fates, polarities, women drowned by emotions or opiates, the deaf-mute who's epically strong, and men sp rigid with their desire to dominate but lose. But none of this is over the top, but rather therapeutic and compellingly realistic, and at times with subtle English humor.

There is only one way out - to look into our own soul. Can we be fair when life is so unfair? And isn't the America we cherish a bootleg chalga utopia where the only rebellion left is to blast the TV screen with the image of Mickey Rourke's bigoted hero.

Radina Borshosh, Dimitar Nikolov and Iliyan Stamenkov in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

"Our film is a suspenseful thriller, but also a touching and emotional coming-of-age story, and a love letter to the Devil," says hit British director Ben Charles Edwards. Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Radina Borshosh and Dimitar Nikolov in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

DEVIL’S PLAY was filmed in 39 locations throughout Bulgaria, as well as in Los Angeles and London. Източник: BLACK Sea Film

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The film can be attacked from anywhere, due to the use an old Bulgarian belief within the film. Being further judged before it is even watched, based only on absurd and ridiculous statements related to the Bulgarian version of its title and the trailer - loud, provocative, but too Hollywood.

Everybody wants something more, simply because there is a lot in the film. I wish it to continue to represent Bulgaria on foreign podiums and to return to Bulgaria once it"s been understood and furthermore appreciated.

I would like to mention one more thing. The full house was totally hushed, magnetized and immersed in the story, which holds us in suspense from the first to the last second, serving unimaginable twists and surprises. This is cinema - the magic of being torn away and transported to other worlds, whether they are your own views or not.

Dimitar Nikolov in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Gary Stretch in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Dimitar Nikolov and Eleonora Ivanova in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

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"Дяволски игри" тръгна по кината с бляскава премиера (снимки)

And no one can deny its genius - Lucifer putting order into the chaos of human life, with a naivety and warmth, and making transparent the evil and the good in human intentions. He is the one who creates order out of chaos and arbitrariness. And he can only share it with that part of God - the all-accepting, unconditionally loving white dog that so resourcefully appears in the footage when Lucifer talks to God.

The shadow of the Stranger-Satan is pure the white dog and also Satan"s spiritual brother.

Paneurhythmy is the other face of this purity - the subtlest vital substance needs no mediator - it harmonises directly with the cosmic energies. It is a ritual of purity, the starting point of the soul before it is corrupted by the daily madness of modern demonism. Any attempt to see any Satanism in this is an offensive atavistic reaction.

DEVIL’S PLAY was filmed in 39 locations throughout Bulgaria, as well as in Los Angeles and London. Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Man long ago ceased to fear himself. He has simply privatised hell. The film makes no promises. But the morning is inevitable.

Dessy Tenekedjieva in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Mihail Mutafov in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Radina Borshosh in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Dessy Tenekedjieva and Lee Ryan in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Dimitar Nikolov and Eleonora Ivanova in DEVIL’S PLAY, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced by Dessy Tenekedjieva Източник: BLACK Sea Film

Every work of art is an inspired casting of someone's passion, and we can't sew all sorts of ears and tails on it because we like it that way. Even if it's not your film, something has touched you, hurt you or awakened you, but by no means left you indifferent. "Devil"s Play" by British director Ben Charles Edwards and Dessy Tenekedjieva asks serious questions. And that makes sense.

And since everyone sees for what they are, my reading is hardly entertaining, more a deeply human reading of the eternal drama between Good and Evil.

Author: Irinia Delina
Philosopher, writer, playwright and screenwriter

Източник: BLACK Sea Film

"Devil"s Play": WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

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