Uncle Tony: Three Fools and the Secret Service
Movie · Documentary · Independent

In the 1960s and ‘70s, communist Bulgaria had a celebrated animation studio, with Donyo Donev its leading light. His short films delighted viewers at home and abroad. But, as revealed in this documentary, the true creative force behind these works was his “assistant” animator, “Uncle Tony” Antoni Trayanov. More troublingly, the documentary avers that Donev and other senior figures at the studio were in league with the Bulgarian secret police. Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova’s impassioned documentary — now a flashpoint of controversy in Bulgaria, after a record-setting theatrical run in Sofia, more than 40 festivals and ten International awards — tells a story of communist-era state control and corruption, but one with widespread relevance to the world of creative collaboration and credit-taking.

2017 · 1h 26m
Starring Anton Trayanov, Georg Yordanov
Director Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova

Trailers

  • Uncle Tony: Three Fools and the Secret Service
    Documentary

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Cast & Crew

  • A‌T
    Anton Trayanov
    Self
  • G‌Y
    Georg Yordanov
    Young Antoni
  • M‌M
    Mina Mileva
    Director
  • V‌K
    Vesela Kazakova
    Director
  • M‌M
    Mina Mileva
    Writer
  • V‌K
    Vesela Kazakova
    Writer

About

Uncle Tony: Three Fools and the Secret Service

Documentary

In the 1960s and ‘70s, communist Bulgaria had a celebrated animation studio, with Donyo Donev its leading light. His short films delighted viewers at home and abroad. But, as revealed in this documentary, the true creative force behind these works was his “assistant” animator, “Uncle Tony” Antoni Trayanov. More troublingly, the documentary avers that Donev and other senior figures at the studio were in league with the Bulgarian secret police. Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova’s impassioned documentary — now a flashpoint of controversy in Bulgaria, after a record-setting theatrical run in Sofia, more than 40 festivals and ten International awards — tells a story of communist-era state control and corruption, but one with widespread relevance to the world of creative collaboration and credit-taking.

Information

Studio
Activist 38
Released
2017
Run Time
1 hr 26 min
Rated
G
Region of Origin
Bulgaria

Languages

Original Audio
English (United States)
Audio

English (United Kingdom) (AAC, ⁨Dolby 5.1⁩)

Subtitles

English (United States) (SDH)

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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
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  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
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  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

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  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
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  • Malaysia (English)
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