Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria, has over two million inhabitants but with a medical infra-structure in ruins the fleet of 13 ambulances are hardest hit. Doctor Krassi, nurse Mila and driver Plamen are the overworked crew of one of these hard-pressed vehicles. Armed with dedication, humour and cigarettes, they race through the night, struggling to save lives in the face of a lack of resources, a crumbling infrastructure and roads that are more pothole than tarmac.
Winner of the Visionary Award at Cannes Critics Week, Director Ilian Metev focuses the camera closely on the ambulance crew, capturing changes in their state of mind as the gruelling shift drags on. Sofia's Last Ambulance is a beautifully considered and artfully constructed documentary highlighting the persistent efforts of the ambulance crew to work despite lack of means, exhaustion and ineffective bureaucracy.
Direcor Ilian Metev will join us after the screening for a Q&A.
