KALOYAN (1963)--Bulgarian with English Subitles

Kaloyan is a 1963 Bulgarian drama film directed by Dako Dakovski.
After a century of Byzantine subjugation, King Kaloyan ascends to the throne, he must implement very flexible foreign policies to strengthen his position. The forth crusade passes through his country and he beats the enemy side in a battle at Adrianople.

PLOT:
1197. King Kaloyan ascends the throne in hard times for Bulgaria. The country is still recovering from a century of Byzantine subjugation. He is forced to carry out a very flexible foreign policy in order to strength his positions. Pope Innocent III recognizes him as Emperor (Tsar), but a little later the fourth Crusade crosses the country under Emperor Baldwin. A new conflict is coming. Tsar Kaloyan wages the decisive battle at Adrianople and wins.
CAST:
Vasil Stoychev - Tsar Kaloyan
Bogomil Simeonov - Milat
Spas Dzhonev - Boril
Andrey Mihaylov - Manastar
Magdalena Mircheva - Chichek
Tzvetana Maneva - Denitza

REVIEWS AND REFLECTIONS:
Kaloyan is a greatly underestimated achievement of Bulgarian cinema, perhaps because its generation could not appreciate its advantages - one expects to see just a war movie that shows how great this Bulgarian tzar was (and he certainly was). However this movie is not just a lesson in History - it makes you be Kaloyan, feel his emotions, think the way he thinks. His character is realistic as well - equally fair and brutal, which a real leader had to be. The story is complex and dynamic as it also features minor characters (in terms of history); the music is suitable and the battle scenes are well made. Its atmosphere is certainly memorable.