We are enslaved by the myths of the past

racters who are typically Balkan and ponder over the global course of history from their narrow-minded point of view. Superstitions and pagan rituals often go alongside or mix with present-day ideological clichés, which can be very amusing. The bizarre and the absurd are part of the carnivalesque spirit of the book and are deeply rooted in our Balkan culture, where high and low often change places. Travesty, heroism and petty details of everyday life are cooking together in this witch’s cauldron.

 

9. There are Russian characters in the novel, or characters of Russian influence. This is a thing of the past. May it also be a thing of the future?

In fact, they are not Russian, but Soviet characters … They belongs to a tribe unified and defined by ideology and lifestyle, not by ethnicity. I guess the Yugoslav identity Tito was trying to build was something similar, but on a smaller scale. The USSR doesn’t exist today, but it still radiates some sort of socialist nostalgia the way dead superstars do. This nostalgia concocts a strange mix with Orthodox Christianity and a broad scope of paternalistic ideas that appeal to the conservative members of society. The visual equivalent of this mental mishmash are the “modern” Russian icons depicting Stalin as a saint.

 

10. How has your style changed from the novel Mission London to The Palaveevi Sisters? It is obvious that the style is somehow similar, but it seems to have evolved?

I am trying to follow the internal logic of actions and to develop my plots accordingly. Motivation, psychology and action – this is what interests me most. I believe that if these elements are handled properly, the rest will inevitably converge and find its place. For me words are a vehicle, not a goal in themselves. The clearer the thoughts, the clearer the language. I prefer to play with plot, situations and characters rather than with words.

 

12. The Palaveevi Sisters and Mission London have been made into plays and feature films. What can you tell us about that?

My interest in cinema and theater actually started long before, but I grew professionally with the film adaptation of Mission London. I worked on the screenplay with Delyana Maneva – a theatre director and researcher in the field of action analysis. We also worked together on the theatrical and film adaptation of The Palaveevi Sisters. It’s pretty boring to write a play or a screenplay all alone. I believe interaction and partnership are a very important part of dramaturgy: sometimes the only way to see if the situations and the dialogues really work is to literally act them out. The play based on The Palaveevi Sisters was put on stage by the Plovdiv Drama Theatre. It was indeed a daring endeavor, given the context. A very expressive, very moving performance with an almost cinematic structure and visuals. A real show! What made me especially happy was that even young people with