WWI in the Balkans - documentary

Help us make this idea real!

Most people know that the Balkan countries took part in World War I but just a few realize that it was both the crown and swansong of the Bulgarian National Revival!

Why?

This year we’ll be celebrating the 100th anniversary of Bulgaria’s entry into World War I. This landmark in history - much like many others, is almost certainly bound to be ignored by the Bulgarian state which would be a national disgrace for all of us. This is the reason why we’ve committed ourselves to shoot a movie and thus pay homage to the crucial historical event, as well as remind all Bulgarians about the renewed hopes and enormous efforts for national unification.

The documentary will examine the general course of the events with the help of the most renowned Bulgarian historians, a rich archive of photographs, official documents and motion pictures, and the warfare on the battlefield will be visualized by interactive digital maps. In addition, the movie will be subtitled in English because we want to show the Bulgarian perspective to the foreign audiences who are familiar with the viewpoint of the big winners - and it is rarely to Bulgaria’s advantage. Given that there is a general lack of information regarding the viewpoints of those on the losing side of the war, our aim is to objectively revisit the events and strike the right balance between the existing biases and misconceptions.

The Bulgarian government does not currently fund any such projects and undertakings. That is why we are forced to seek the support of the patriots who haven’t forgotten the legacy of their great grandfathers from 100 years ago because there’s nothing more important than our national dignity!

What?

The documentary will include 3 parts, one hour each. The first part which is to be officially launched in October this year will cover Bulgaria’s entry into the Great War and Serbia’s defeat in 1915. The second part will examine the Romanian defeat in 1916 and the battles on the Northern front, and the third movie will tell about the harsh warfare waged against the armies of the Entente Powers along the Aegean front, as well as the end of the war, its consequences, ramifications and lessons learned. The documentary will be made available in DVD format and distributed free of charge among schools in Bulgaria and abroad because we want to provoke the pupils’ interest in the important role our country has played on the international scene, as well as help them master the specifics regarding Bulgaria’s participation in the War. Last but not least, the movie will be uploaded on the internet and available for free viewing.

Your donation

Your donation will be used for shooting the movie, video editing, post production, inviting Serbian experts to present their point of view, film shows across the country, production of interactive maps, live historical reenactments.

Please help us reach our goal – we count on you all!

About us

Bulgarian Science magazine is published by Forum Science Association, and was founded by Petar and Rosen Teodosiev who are well-known to the general public as the leading communicators of science in Bulgaria. The magazine was launched in 2005 and for 10 years now it has been offering in-depth analyses, researches and articles of Bulgarian students and academics. The magazine is issued every month and offered online, free of charge, because everyone is entitled to access knowledge. The team has successfully shot two historical documentaries so far – “Affix Bayonets!”  (2012) and “Tragedy and Glory”  (2013) to celebrate the respective anniversaries of the Balkan wars. More information available at http://ngo.nauka.bg.