BREAD OVER THE FENCE

Two small villages deep in the Bulgarian province. Badarski Geran has 1200 inhabitants and lies in the Northwest of the country. Pokrovan is located in the Southeast near the Bulgarian-Greek border, and has a population of 400. But in spite of the huge geographical distance, both villages have a lot in common: the population’s poverty, the high unemployment rate, and the indifferent attitude of the country councils concerning the social anomalies, among others. In Badarski Geran as well as in Pokrovan, the majority of the inhabitants are Catholics – a real rarity in the mainly orthodox Bulgaria. In their respective pasts, both villages encountered heavy, at times bloody conflicts between Catholics, orthodox Christians, and Muslims who are the second-biggest population group in Pokrovan. Nowadays, the religious tensions have made way to an atmosphere of general tolerance. People live side by side peacefully, are friends with each other – in certain cases even married. Numerous inhabitants of the villages are being interviewed, talking about the tough reality and the small moments of happiness in a village microcosm which seemingly has been forgotten by the rest of the world.