As if for the last time is a 2020 Bulgarian drama comedy romantic film directed by Ivaylo Penchev from a screenplay by Ivaylo Penchev, Vesel Tsankov and Bozhan Petrov. The film premiered in Bulgaria on June 4, 2021.
The film follows the story of an elderly, rich and famous writer (Vasil Banov), who, affected by a social or moral crisis, proposes to marry a young girl (Maria Bakalova), who is in trouble, in an attempt to save her from suicide. From here, a series of comic-dramatic and absurd situations unfold – tabloids, inheritance, family conflicts, personal and moral choices.
The audience received the film with warm feelings – „As if for the last time“" won the Audience Award at the Golden Rose Festival in 2020, and screenings at the Sofia Film Fest and other festivals were of great interest and often full houses.
Critical reviews emphasize the film's ability to blend the comic and the dramatic, to present situations characteristic of Bulgarian reality with humor and humanity. Some critics note that the plot is absurd at times, but it is precisely the absurdity that serves as a mirror of society.
