Oakland was magic!

Photos and the stories that go with them...

Nov 16, 2022

Hi friends,

Last Wednesday we were in The Bat Area for an unforgettable premiere! In about an hour I’m driving down to Vegas for the showing tonight!

If you missed the photos and stories from Portland take a look here. We wish to continue to paint a picture for you of what it’s like to be on the road and love hearing from you. Last week an audience member wrote a wonderful email which we included in "This Enduring Treasure” - read it here.

We put together some photos for you from Oakland! Enjoy!

Here we go! Lights! Camera! Action!

This is my third time visiting the Bay Area with a film!

In 2014 we showed "This Baba" as a part of The Antika Festival. In 2019 we filled the movie theatre to the brim for "There". Both films are available to watch on my site www.bogdandarev.com

And now we are back again with "Kaval Park" for a truly moving reception!

The obligatory poster wall follows…

"Where is the line?" asked me one of the gents in the photo above. "I want to make sure I get a good seat," he added.

This was the first time someone had ever asked me this question and it made me feel warm inside!

BTW, "Kaval Park" stayed nearby, a few blocks away from "Paradise Park"... Fitting!

My friends Niki and Albena just finished remodeling an AirBNB. They had literally been moving furniture around the day before we got there! I couldn't even tell. It was perfect!

As a token of appreciation I mediated on our poster and created this personalized flower collage with a message for them!

We opened with a set of music. Stay tuned for the videos! On the far left is Bill Cope on tambura. Bill and Alexander Eppler met in the mid seventies, played and toured together until about the mid 80s.

Next to Bill is John Gibson who has played the kaval for over forty years! He first met Alex in the seventies - a meeting that has changed his life as a player.

Victor Robin is the gentleman who is sitting. Victor digitized two of the kaval recordings of Alex that you hear in the film - the first and the last. They were recorded in Mendocino Balkan Camp in the 70s. Without Victor's effort and those authentic recordings the film wouldn't be the same!

And to the far right we have Ivan Velev on tapan. Ivan was the co-host of the event and made sure we had a full house!

What a special opening to our premiere!

Eyes fixed on the big screen! Nothing compares to creating this container where we invite audiences to experience the film together!

It was our first time at The New Parkway Theater and everyone in our community loved the setting!

The staff and management were fantastic to work with!

After the movie we’re all about the smiles!

More smiles and laughter!

We hung out for about an hour in the lobby talking!

With more happy audience members!

Each premiere in each new city and destination is a celebration!

Spike in the photo bellow bought one of our special handmade bags!

Another audience member buys a bag and supports maker Lubka in Bulgaria!

Some in the audience said they knew nothing about the film and were somewhat skeptical, but now, after the fact, they were so happy they had come! We get that a lot!

With Bruce, who says he is Bulgarian at heart, and his guide which he’s inseparable from!

I met Bruce in 2014. He was the first volunteer to come and the last one to leave and help set-up and break-down the decors for the Bulgarian celebration then!