Atanas Papadopulos

The Mandolin

Gallows is being raised in a prison yard. A moment before the execution the Girl brings a document of the young communist's temporary pardon. The chief of the prison, the Major, has a mandolin collection. He offers a fistfight to the young communist. The young man hits him. The Major and the young communist start playing the mandolins together. Girl is allowed to meet the young communist. The boy begins to play. The melody brings to the Major pleasant memories. He fought in the Spanish civil war, but after the defeat, he turned back on his beliefs. The Major receives a telegram that he needs to send the young communist to another prison. Death awaits him there. In is rage the Major breaks the mandolins. He orders the young communist to be taken out to work. The young man runs off. The Major shoots him himself.

The Bandit

Sicily, 1865. Two peasants, Gramigna and his father are tricked by Baron Nardò and robbed of their field, which then the baron lets to Assunta, her daughter Gemma and her fiancé Ramarro. Determined to take revenge, Gramigna begins to hunt down Nardò's complicit mediators. Unbeknownst to Gramigna, Gemma, to escape her arranged marriage, goes after him. Love and violence will follow all till their desperate ends.

The Ashes

Set in the time of Napoleon wars, shows how the wars swept over the unfortunate Polish country at the beginning of the XIX-th century. Story revolves around the Polish legion under command of General Dabrowski, who then fought on Napoleon's side with the hopes of Poland's revival.

The Peach Thief

The wife of a Bulgarian POW camp's warden falls in love with a Serbian prisoner at the end of World War I.

We Were Young

During Second World War a beautiful love between two young people burns out against the background of the Nazi reality.