1988, Bulgaria. In the final years of communism, Boyko (19) is a border guard near the place where three borders meet – Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece. This is the southernmost external border of the so-called Socialist Block. The Captain (38) orders Boyko to shoot two young East Germans who are trying to defect to the West. Boyko and the Captain throw the two Germans off the precipice known locally as The Judgment, which divides Bulgaria from Greece.

2012. Following his discharge from the military, Boyko settles in a village near the border. Now 43, he has an eight-year-old daughter named Tanya. His wife Fanka has been working as a caregiver for an elderly woman in Germany for several years. Tanya is diagnosed with a tumor in her spinal cord. To survive, she needs to undergo a special operation. This surgery can only be carried out in a clinic abroad – in Germany where Fanka is. However, it is extremely expensive. In order to gather the money in time for the badly needed surgery, Boyko begins working for the Captain (now 62), who leads a trafficking ring that smuggles groups of immigrants from Central Asia and Africa into Bulgaria. Nowadays Bulgaria forms the external border of the EU. Boyko guides the refugees as they try to enter the European Union from Turkey. On these difficult treks into Bulgaria, they are constantly at risk of being discovered by the border guards.

Boyko has managed to suppress his memories of killing the two East Germans, telling himself that he is innocent – he was merely following orders, after all. Now, however, he has to guide the refugees through the same places he had to secure as a border guard 24 years ago. And his memories of the murder gradually come back to him…

With the proceeds from his job as a trafficker, Boyko raises the money needed and sends his daughter to Germany. However, complications endanger his daughter’s life, and a second operation is required – as well as more money. Gradually, Boyko comes to the conclusion that his daughter’s predicament is punishment for his sin – the murder of the East Germans. Boyko is genuinely remorseful.

During his next smuggling operation across the border, an Afghan woman and her sick and exhausted daughter are in Boyko’s group. The border police discover the group and start chasing them. The Captain orders Boyko to leave the Afghan woman and her daughter behind in the snowy mountains to save his own life. But this time, Boyko resolves to obey his conscience and not the Captain. When the Captain threatens him and the Afghan woman with a gun, Boyko pushes him into the Judgment as they fight. However, the captain shoots before falling, killing Boyko as well.

One year later. Boyko’s daughter, Fanka and his relatives attend a memorial service in his honor. God must have forgiven Boyko for his sins – Tanya is in good health.

Bulgarian director, producer and scriptwriter, born in 1966 in Sofia. Member of the Bulgarian Film Directors’ Association. He graduated from the Medical Academy in Sofia (1993) and completed a degree in Film & TV directing at the New Bulgarian University (1998).

In 1999 Stephan Komandarev founded the company Argo Film. In the beginning the company produced short films, TV spots and music videos. Its first documentary was the award-winning “Alphabet of Hope” (2003).

Stephan Komandarev’s works include documentary and feature films. He is a lecturer at the Film Department of the New Bulgarian University (since 2008). With his documentary project “The Town of Badante Women”, Stephan Komandarev participated in the MEDIA-supported training program “Ex Oriente” (2008).

A writer and screenwriters, a winner of many literary awards.
First prize winner at the national round of the international screenwriting contest “Hartley-Meril” with the script “The Corpse Collector”. Co-author of the script of the feature film and the TV series “The Devil Mirror” (2001), directed by Nikolay Volev Co-author of the script of the television film “Follow me” (2003), directed by Docho Bodjakov. Co-author of the script of the feature film “Lady Z” (2005), directed by Georgi Diulgerov.