Daniel from the Film Academy for Talents plays Billy Elliot in young director Petya Maleshevska’s film
Petya Maleshevska is a second-year Film Directing student at NATFA under Prof. Dr Docho Bodzhakov.
For a NATFA assignment to remake a scene from a film, Petya chose Daniel Zahariev from the Film Academy for Talents for one of the roles.
Here is what Petya says about shooting her film: "I chose Stephen Daldry’s ‘Billy Elliot’. The film tells the story of Billy, whose father signs him up for boxing. Ballet teacher Mrs Wilkinson also trains her troupe in the boxing hall. She rediscovers her passion for teaching ballet when she recognises Billy’s potential and persuades him to apply to the Royal Ballet School. The scene I chose to remake is very emotional because the child argues with the teacher, who is a mother figure to him. Upset by the ‘ugly’ truth the child speaks, Mrs Wilkinson slaps him, but afterwards they both regret what they have done and a reconciliation follows."
The exercise Petya filmed over the weekend is entirely a student project for an examination before a panel. The young talent, Dani Zahariev, who plays Billy, arrived on set thanks to the Film Academy for Talents and his personal teacher, actress Natalia Dukova. Overall, Dani was quite nervous during filming because it was his first time acting on camera, but according to Petya, alongside the nerves, the shoot also became fun. Especially since, in the remake, Dani acts opposite the wonderful Irini Zhambonas, who plays Mrs Wilkinson.
"It’s my first time working with a child on set, and we had difficulties, but I think we both managed. How well? The teachers will tell us.", says Petya Maleshevska with confidence.
