"We think Mother India is the right place for this spiritual movie": Producer Victor Francess on world premiere of 'Axis of Life'

The Bulgarian feature film 'Axis of Life' marked its world premiere at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa. The film has its roots in a book of the same name by the Swami Tirtha.

Recalling the world premiere of 'Axis of Life' at IFFI, Victor Francess admitted that they chose India as the primary destination for their spiritually themed movie because of the nation's spiritual roots and its open-arms reception of "all religions."

"We actually wanted it (Axis of Life world premiere) to happen in India because of the Indian roots. So, although there are over 10 A-list festivals, we really hoped that IFFI would like it because we think that Mother India is the right place for this movie to start its public life, because it's a spiritual movie, and I don't know another country being the shelter of all religions and all spiritual parts. So we really hoped the movie could start its journey from India." said Victor Francess.

Francess also shared the inspiration behind the movie, saying that the film addresses the Western world's missing values, which have been replaced by "consumerism" and "materialistic thinking."

"We think that first of all, there is this desire to do something for society. We think right now what's missing, one of the things that is missing the most, at least in the western world, is foundation. So Western societies are losing their foundation. So values become weaker. You can see it all around consumerism, very materialistic thinking. So, people are looking for happiness in the wrong direction, and we are finding inspiration in the ancient Hindu scriptures. We've shown this movie to people from very different walks of life, including Muslim, Christians, Buddhists, and all of them recognised the movie as their own," said Victor Francess.

"So the idea was to create a spiritual unifying movie, which is not based on one tradition but rather distils various worldly traditions without creating a mix of them. So we're not making some soup. We're not doing some masala thing here," added Victor.

According to the press release by the makers, 'Axis of Life' is a Bulgarian feature film that unfolds as a quiet yet profoundly moving cinematic journey, one that has already begun resonating deeply with audiences following its first-ever premiere.

Though the film has been screened only once so far, early reactions have been strikingly powerful, marking it as a work of rare emotional depth and visual grace.

Directed by Atanas Hristoskov, the film reflects a restrained and thoughtful storytelling style that allows silence, nature, and emotion to speak louder than words.

The visual language of the film is shaped by cinematographer Martin Balkansky, whose imagery has been widely praised for its painterly compositions and spiritual stillness. The film is produced by Victor Francess and Kalin Kalinov, whose collaboration brings a clear and cohesive artistic vision to life.

The film features a compelling international cast including Clive Russell, Lars Simonsen, Marina Suma, Aleksandar Aleksiev, Vladimir Mihailov, and Strezo Stamatovski.

Their performances have been praised for their emotional restraint, authenticity, and quiet intensity, drawing viewers into the inner worlds of their characters, according to the makers' press release.

Set against breathtaking natural landscapes, the film explores themes of introspection, human connection and transformation. (ANI)