Stoichkov – Once Upon a Time in Bulgaria (2027)

Rights Holder / Distributor: Cloud9 Studios – international partner for realization and distribution; rights holder and Bulgarian distributor to be officially announced

„Stoichkov – Once upon a time in Bulgaria“ („Stoichkov – Against All Odds“") is an upcoming Bulgarian feature film dedicated to the life and football career of Hristo Stoichkov. Directed by Martin Makariev, is a screenwriter Georgi Angelov, and the creative team includes Alexander Sano and the journalist Vladimir Pamukov. The premiere is planned for the fall of 2027, with the production being filmed in Bulgaria and other locations related to the history of the legendary eight.

The film will follow the path of Hristo Stoichkov from his early years in Bulgaria and the beginning of his football career to his transformation into one of the most recognizable figures in world football. The story covers important moments from his journey to CSKA and Barcelona, the 1994 World Cup and winning the "Golden Ball". The main role of the young Stoichkov is entrusted to Kristo Stoichkov, chosen after the television format "„You are already playing… Stoichkov“.

Plot

The story begins long before international fame, when Stoichkov was a young footballer with great talent, a strong character and the ambition to prove himself. The film will follow his gradual rise in Bulgarian football and his path to CSKA, before his career took him to Barcelona. The focus will be not only on his sporting success, but also on the difficulties, conflicts and decisions that shaped the character of the future legend.

The story will touch on the most significant moments of his career, including the historic 1994 World Cup in the United States and winning the Ballon d'Or. Of particular interest will be his relationship with the influential football agent Jose Maria Mingeya, who played an important role in Stoichkov's recommendation to the Barcelona coach Johan Cruyff. Himself Jim Caviezel has already been confirmed for the role of Mingyeya and has joined the filming.

Directing

Martin Makariev takes the helm of a project that requires both a sporting scope and attention to the character's personal history. The director, known from Bulgarian cinema, gets the opportunity to recreate different periods of Stoichkov's life and build a world that moves from Bulgaria to the big European football stages. The scale of the production is also evident from the casting, which foresees over 130 roles and about 5,000 participants in the mass scenes.

The creative approach to the project is also interesting, because the choice of the performer for the main role was made through a special television reality show, rather than through traditional casting. This gives the production the opportunity to find an actor who visually and physically resembles the young Stoichkov. For Martin Makariev The project is a significant step towards large-scale sports cinema, and its development will be interesting to follow for fans of Bulgarian sports. movies.

Acting

Kristo Stoichkov is the 28-year-old actor chosen to played the young Hristo Stoichkov. He was named Cristo because he was born in Spain and, according to his story, the name "Christo" was difficult to pronounce there. His choice was made after a public casting in "„You are already playing… Stoichkov“", where the finalists go through a series of tests in front of a jury, including Martin Makariev, Anya Pencheva и Vladimir Pamukov. The upcoming performance is particularly interesting because it is the actor's first big screen appearance.

Among the confirmed names is Jim Caviezel, known to international audiences for his role as Jesus Christ in "„The Passion of Christ“". The project also includes Alexander Sano и Luiza Grigorova, who are part of the production's presentation and development, but their specific roles in the film have not yet been officially announced. Given that the casting continues to expand, the final cast will likely be announced gradually.

Conclusion

„Stoichkov – Once upon a time in Bulgaria“" is conceived as a large-scale story not just about football victories, but about the path from a talented boy to a world-famous athlete. The story has enough dramatic material - the difficult beginning, CSKA, Barcelona, Cruyff, the 1994 World Cup and the "Golden Ball". The international title "„Stoichkov – Against All Odds“" further emphasizes the idea of a person overcoming obstacles on the way to the top of the world.

The premiere is planned for the fall of 2027, and filming is ongoing, including in Burgas, which is one of the main filming locations. So far, the production has the potential to be an interesting look at one of the most important sports stories in modern Bulgarian history, but the final assessment will be possible only after completion and the premiere. For sports fans movies and the history of Bulgarian football, this is a title that deserves attention even before its appearance in cinemas.