Toplo is a comedy

Comedy

Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...

 film released in Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...

 in 1978. It was written and directed by Vladimir Yanchev. The film satirizes the eternal fear of all Bulgarians to have contractors fixing problems in their houses. The story develops at the end of the seventies, the time of the vast expansion of the centralized system for heat- and warm water supply, in Sofia

Sofia

Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...

.

Plot

The inhabitants of one apartment building want to have central heating. However, with significant effort and strong connections, the Journalist manages to unveil that the turn of their building, to be included in the central heating network, has not yet come. Moreover, it is unclear in how many years it will come. In their despair and after a number of arguments, quarrels and even a bit of shooting, they decide do undertake actions that are considered illegal at that time (see Special notes). They hire contractors to lay the pipes. Three guys show up, the contract is signed and the money is paid in advance. Soon the work begins. With skills and acts provoking severe doubt in their professionalism, the contractors manage to drill holes in all walls and ceilings and then they disappear. Panic and despair strikes the residents. What are they to do now…? A decision is made. They must find the crooks and bring them back to finish what they have started. Finally, it turns out that our three fellows are already in jail. Then, the sufferers strike a bargain with the director of the jail; if he lets the cheats out to finish the job, then there will always be a shift of three people from the inhabitants of the building to take their places in jail. Moreover, such highly educated people like the Journalist and the Academician will give series of lectures to the prisoners, which will help the director to fulfil the cultural plan of the prison for the year.

The job is finally done but the director of the prison is brought to Court. And our group of humble citizens, who have been only trying to provide themselves with some heat for the cold winter days, follow him in the dock. However, the Court finds them not guilty, taking into account their good will and the fact that contractors have just come to the house of the Judge.

Cast

• Naum Shopov - the Journalist
• Konstantin Kotsev - the Pensioner Snegov
• Stoyan Stoychev - the Customs officer
• Georgi Cherkelov - the Academician
• Tatyana Lolova
  Tatyana Lolova
  Tatyana Lolova is a Bulgarian stage and film actress born in 1934.She is best known for her comedy roles that she has played for more than a 40 years career, bringing her the reputation as one of the most popular Bulgarian actresses.-Biography and Career:...
  
   - the Manager
• Valentin Rusetzki - the Driver
• Luchezar Stoyanov - the Stage production Student
• Bozhidar Lechev - the Mototehnika Worker
• Grigor Vachkov - Contractor 1
• Todor Kolev
  Todor Kolev
  Todor Kolev is a leading Bulgarian actor. Born in Shumen, his first major film was Tsar i General in 1966. He has appeared in more than 30 films...
  
   - Contractor 2
• Stefan Danailov
  Stefan Danailov
  Stefan Lambov Danailov is a Bulgarian actor and former Minister of Culture of Bulgaria .The first film Danailov has taken part was "The Traces Remain" being a child. At that time he did not want to be an actor. However, later in 1966 he graduated VITIZ...
  
   - Contractor 3
• Georgi Popov - the Director of the prison
• Andrey Chaprazov - as himself
• Stoyanka Mutafova
  Stoyanka Mutafova
  Stoyanka Konstantinova Mutafova is a Bulgarian actress. She read philology at the University of Sofia "Kliment Ohridski". Later she studied acting in Bulgaria and the Prague. From 1949 until 1956, she acted in multiple plays in the national "Ivan Vazov" theatre...
  
  - the Judge

Special notes

In socialist Bulgaria private enterprises were considered illegal. Only certain craftsmen had the right to exercise their craft under the strong control of the state. Hiring a private contractor was nearly as illegal as being one.