Bread Over the Fence

In two small Bulgarian villages, situated in contrasting geographical landscapes with different cultural traditions, people live in poverty. What they have in common, is that the majority of the population in these both villages is catholic. In predominantly Orthodox Bulgaria, the Catholic minority (about 60.000 people) has always been subject to strong political oppression and religious hatred. The oppression climaxed in the communist years, when Catholic priests were killed and the Catholics were sent to concentration camps and prisons. Those who remained free were persecuted as agents of imperialism and the Vatican, foreigners and traitors. The film traces the life of these people today and how they live with their neighbours – Orthodox Christians and Muslims. Without generalizing, it reveals their religious understanding as part of their philosophy of life. Through their stories and revelations it shows what elements in their experience have contributed to their resistance to religious conflict. Their common problems, their distance from political and media speculation and respect for the beliefs of their neighbours are all features of their victory of religious understanding. (DOK.fest München)