Designed in 3D and also available in 2D as well as in virtual reality (VR).

Vaysha is not like other young girls; she was born with one green eye and one brown eye. But her odd eyes aren’t the only thing that’s special about her gaze.

Her left eye sees only the past. Her right, only the future. Like a terrible curse, Vaysha’s split vision prevents her from living in the present. Blinded by what was and tormented by what will be, she remains trapped between two irreconcilable temporalities. “Blind Vaysha,” they called her.

In this metaphoric tale of timeless wisdom and beauty, filmmaker Theodore Ushev reminds us of the importance of living in present moment.

Vaysha is not like other young girls; she was born with one green eye and one brown eye. But her odd eyes aren’t the only thing that’s special about her gaze.

Her left eye sees only the past while her right, only the future. Like a terrible curse, Vaysha’s split vision prevents her from living in the present. Blinded by what was and tormented by what will be, she remains trapped between two irreconcilable temporalities, unable to see the reality that exists in the present. “Blind Vaysha,” they called her.

In this short animated film adapted from the philosophical short story by Georgi Gospodinov, a leading multidisciplinary author from the younger generation of Bulgarian writers, renowned filmmaker and animator Theodore Ushev reaffirms his virtuosity in visual experimentation. Using an expressive and powerful style poised halfway between religious paintings and linocuts, Ushev creates a film that is both symbolic and accessible.  Blind Vaysha is designed in 3D and also available in 2D.

Featuring bucolic European landscapes and Benedictine architecture, and brilliantly narrated by actress Caroline Dhavernas, Blind Vaysha is a captivating metaphoric tale about the difficulty of being in the here and now. With timeless beauty and wisdom, it reminds us of the importance of living in the present moment.

A Conversation in the Present Moment:  A Saturday Afternoon with Theodore Ushev

 It’s a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon in February. I’m about to meet with filmmaker Theodore Ushev at the Cinémathèque québécoise café to discuss his latest animated film, Blind Vaysha, which was launched at Berlinale with great fanfare.

Ushev arrives early. People start greeting him as soon as he walks through the door. Everyone wants to know what he’s been up to. A powerful beam lights up the room. This distinguished artist has been firmly established in Montreal since 1999, working on one rewarding personal project after another—always without compromise. Ushev is known for his expertise, erudition and intuition, but also for his integrity, which has become a signature feature of his work.

Blind Vaysha is the title of his most recent film. It’s also the nickname of his young odd-eyed heroine, whose left eye sees only the past while her right eye sees only the future. Both philosophical and playful, his latest work speaks volumes about our inability to live in the moment. With Blind Vaysha, Ushev etches a rich avant-garde tale that will appeal to audiences of all ages. This is a portrait of the artist and his original project, in three moments of time…

The Past: The Medieval City

 PL: Blind Vaysha is first and foremost a short story by Bulgarian author Georgi Gospodinov. Why did you decide to adapt this particular story?

TU: A group of filmmaker friends and I had decided to create an omnibus project based on Gospodinov’s short stories. By pure chance I came across his philosophical tale Blind Vaysha and was deeply moved by it. I immediately started visualizing it and began working on the illustrations. I decided to submit the project for a one-month immersive writing residence at Fontevraud Abbey, in Pays de la Loire in France. The film therefore came about under these unique circumstances, while I was completely isolated from the outside world.

PL: How did the unique geography and surroundings of these religious sites influence your approach and your drawings?

TU: The Benedictine-inspired building is from the 12th century. It’s steeped in history and surrounded by lush gardens. It’s also one of the largest monastic cities in Europe. Eleanor of Aquitaine, who was a major and extraordinary historical figure in medieval Europe, retired there toward the end of her life and is now buried there. The stained glass, the architecture, the medieval art, the surrounding landscapes and the portraits of Eleanor… they all permeate every aspect of my project—starting with the face of Vaysha, the main character. All the film’s visuals come from the sketches I made at Fontevraud Abbey. My writing residence provided a powerful impetus for the film, a clear direction and an overall coherent style.

PL: You are of Bulgarian origin and your father is a painter. Is there a connection with your interest in the avant-garde?

TU: Absolutely. Abstract art was banned in Bulgaria for many years, until the fall of communism in 1989. Although my father managed to secretly exhibit abstract drawings during the communist era, censorship was extremely strict. All art had to glorify workers and the party. For me, abstract art is about freedom of expression and the very notion of freedom itself.

The Present: Risk, Freedom and Alliances

PL: Music plays an important role in your film. And yet some songs act as a counterpoint to the images on the screen. For example, Vaysha’s birth is accompanied by funeral music. Why this contrast?

TU: For Vaysha’s birth I used Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary, the classic funeral march by English composer Henry Purcell. It subtly evokes Gospodinov’s state of mind when he wrote in The Physics of Sorrow: “There is birth and there is death. And nothing in between.” Using a variety of musical pieces allowed me to create a unique atmosphere for the film and add new layers of meaning. I also used music by Nikola Gruev, of the Bulgarian band Kottarashky & The Rain Dogs. Gruev weaves into his compositions found and original sounds gleaned here and there from his travels in Bulgaria. His work is part of a musical movement known as Futurism, a style critics define as “Balkan Psychedelic.” What’s unique about these found sounds is that they are real, not professionally created. He captures all sorts of sounds, ranging from wedding music to funeral marches, and works them into his compositions. This is my third collaboration with Gruev. Coincidentally, our fathers have known each other since their early days studying art. As for Gruev and I, we found each other quite by chance and became good friends. Along with Gospodinov, we form a powerful trio. We’re this small and natural free-spirited team that makes no compromises. None of us is afraid to take risks. We like to experiment and take liberties in our respective disciplines.

PL: Why did you choose actress Caroline Dhavernas to narrate the two versions of your film?

TU: Caroline is an amazing actress and I love her work. For this particular project, I asked her to keep it simple. One of the characteristics of animation is that it’s a visual language; an overly expressive narration would overpower it. In fact, I asked Caroline to narrate both versions of the film without any visual cues, and I am very proud of the results.

PL: The film was created to be shown in 3D. Why did you decide to make this film in three dimensions?

TU: Actually, the film is in four dimensions. The viewer travels not only in space, but also in time as they move back and forth, from past to future and future to past. Time is seen as a physical space that can be measured, like a territory. Horizontality, verticality, depth and time.

What Does the Future Hold?

PL: What is your next project?

TU: I’m currently working on an adaptation of another Gospodinov short story. My film is called The Physics of Sadness, based on his novel The Physics of Sorrow. The book was an international success and has been translated into 35 languages. Blind Vaysha is somewhat of a tangent, but it was a challenging project I couldn’t refuse. It will soon be shown on the TV channel ARTE in France. The station also produced a documentary in which esteemed French philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy discusses my film. I think it will make a beautiful complement to the film. Vaysha is a timeless heroine without roots. Her story transcends all boundaries, all cultures and all eras, which is how I see human history in general.

Theodore Ushev has been working with linocuts for more than 35 years. For his latest film, Blind Vaysha, Ushev recreated this century-old technique with a Wacom Cintiq graphics tablet. Following the same principles used in linocuts, each colour was animated separately on different layers and then superimposed to create a composition similar to that of an engraving. The result is the aesthetic meeting point between the past and technological future.