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Gold War


The Olympics were about to turn into a “war without shots.”

Synopsis:
During the Cold War, the battle for supremacy was also transferred to sports. Hundreds of athletes have been subjected to mental and physical pressure to allow the Socialist bloc to show its superiority. One of the sports that the USSR developed specifically for this competition was rhythmic gymnastics. In this impossible political atmosphere, rhythmic gymnastics coach from a small Soviet satellite country, Vera Dyakova has created a team that becomes an absolute world champion and for many years has taken away medals from Soviet gymnasts. Vera and her girls have almost a love affair and live between constant separations, reconciliations, forgiveness and tears. Ambitious to bring a gold medal from the Olympics in 1984 in the United States, where rhythmic gymnastics was first included, Vera became extreme and sadistic to her girls. They train in fierce hunger, severe punishments and painful injuries. The Russians are trying to eliminate Vera, her enemies are sabotaging her, and the secret services are following her closely. Her gymnasts already hate her and are about to betray her, but the dream of an Olympic medal gives them the will to continue. At that time relations between East and West were strained to the extreme. The Olympics were about to turn into a “war without shots.” The USSR made a surprising decision to boycott the games and the communist countries were forced to obey. The efforts of Vera and the contestants are in vain. Vera’s Golden Girls remain without the Olympic gold. Inspired by true events.

Pitchee: Martichka Bozhilova, producer and Teodora Markova, writer
Martichka Bozhilova is producer of AGITPROP, Bulgaria. Her high-end author-driven films have been selected and awarded at Cannes, Berlin, IDFA, Toronto, Sundance, Tribeca, Pusan, and broadcast all over the world. They include Touch Me Not (Golden Bear Winner, Berlinale), Palace for the People - film (Dok Leipzig Buster Award) and TV docu series for ARTE, aired on BBC, MDR, NHK, SVT). Producer of successful factual TV series for Nat Geo and HBO and of Father’s Day high-end drama series for BNT. Co-producer of the first official drama series co-production in South Eastern Europe, SABRE (in postproduction). Member of the European Producer’s Club.

Teodora Markova has created/co-written some of the most successful TV series in Bulgaria, including Under Cover (2011), nominated for best foreign TV series at Monte Carlo TV Festival and distributed in 187 territories. Her mini-series Father’s Day (2019) was selected at Série Series and Venice Gap Financing Market. Her first feature Bubblegum (2017) won Best Screenplay Award at Golden Rose Bulgarian National Film Festival. Her newest series projects are Gold War, supported by MEDIA CREATIVE EUROPE, winner of Paramount Plus Award at MIA Market, and Soviet Jeans TV series for GO3 Latvia, selected for Berlinale Series 2024.


Project Information:

Writers: Teodora Markova, Georgi Ivanov, Nevena Kertova
Producers: Martichka Bozhilova
Development stage: In advanced development
Shooting location: Bulgaria, Scandavia
Languages: Bulgarian, Russian, English
Financing already in place: Creative Europe - MEDIA Development Programme, Bulgarian National Film Center
Looking for: Coproduction partners, platforms, distributors, funding

Company profile:
AGITPROP is probably the most awarded Bulgarian film production company with lead producer Martichka Bozhilova. Among AGITPROP’s leading TV partners are: Channel 4, Sundance Channel, HBO, ARTE, PBS, YLE. AGITPROP has produced a number of films - creative documentaries, fiction films and TV series with a strong author’s style, among which the multi-internationally awarded GEORGI AND THE BUTTERFLIES (IDFA winner), THE MOSQUITO PROBLEM AND OTHER STORIES (Cannes), CORRIDOR #8 (Berlinale), OMELETTE (Sundance), THE BOY WHO WAS A KING (Toronto). The company’s filmography includes TOUCH ME NOT (Golden Bear Winner, Berlinale), "Exemplary Behavior" (Golden Dove 2019) by Audrius Mickevicius and Nerijus Milerius, LOVE & ENGINEERING (Tribeca NY, Visions de Reel; Karlovy Vary), A PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL (Karlovy Vary Chrystal Globe Competition). AGITPROP’s credits include also the documentary TV series/one-off PALACE FOR THE PEOPLE (Dok Leipzig, Dok Buster Award; the series was aired on BBC, ARTE, MDR, NHK, SVT and many others), as well as the high-end TV drama series FATHER’S DAY commissioned by the Bulgarian National Television. www.agitprop.bg

Contact: [email protected]