“Black Dog" is a film I've been struggling with for a long time. Before it became the current project proposal, the film went through countless other versions, seeking the most authentic way to be told. Dealing with themes such as mental health requires not only deep knowledge in the field but also honesty, courage, and a willingness to be completely exposed. Therefore, “Black Dog" is a project and a developing theme that we will continue to refine. This film was shot in a way that we tried to represent our character’s mental state. The cinematography is raw, brutal and somehow beautifully “ugly”. Its 4:3 format makes the viewer feel like they’re in this character’s head. The film portrays a raw portrait of a young boy struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder, abbreviated as BPD. It is characterized by chronic instability in relationships, extreme emotional reactions, and a constant fear of abandonment. Throughout the film, the main character will go through several situations, each more extreme than the last, until he finally reaches the point of admitting the problem to himself. Along the way, through his relationships and experiences, we will explore the illness and related themes such as fear, violence, dependencies, loneliness, love, and more, delving deep into the psyche of the main character. The importance for me of working on BPD stems from the refusal to accept this diagnosis, which leads to all the accompanying problems, as well as the lack of information to recognize the manifestations of the disease. The main topic concerns mental issues, which seem to be invisible and their manifestations, emphasizing the almost unknown in Bulgaria - borderline personality disorder, BPD, located on the border of two other disorders - neurosis and psychosis. Its symptoms are recognisable, some of which are periods of intense unstable behaviour and altered 'sense of self', but are often avoided. Its onset is sometimes hereditary, but is usually due to childhood trauma and a dysfunctional family environment, which is a prerequisite for subsequent addictions to alcohol and drugs. BPD is a modern societal problem, with statistics indicating that 1 in 100 people in Europe are living with the disease. Research proves that it affects both sexes equally, but the majority of those diagnosed are women, due to the fact that men are less likely to seek help when needed. With fear, shame and minimal knowledge of the subject, reaching out for treatment is rare and leads to complications with untimely help. In Bulgaria, the topic is hardly touched upon, and more and more of our acquaintances meet with this diagnosis, which motivates the choice of BPD as the main topic of the story. The main aim of the film is to draw attention to this problem, as avoiding it leads to a refusal of awareness of the condition and a lack of courage on the part of patients to seek a specialist in the presence of symptoms. Widespread public awareness of the issue is crucial, because greater knowledge can lead to a better environment for those affected (not only by BPD but also by other mental illnesses), and by understanding them, society helps to ensure that they are not dismissed but become aware of their problem and seek help. I believe that through raising this issue out loud we can positively influence the audience, encourage them to seek help and thus help improve the environment and the chance for young people to take timely action and address the manifestations of mental illness. Thank you. I hope you'll enjoy the film! Sincerely, Alex Krasimirov Film Director
