Directed by Nikolay Egermann and written by Martin Ralchevski, in the 1980s Peter loses his sister in an accident and is banished from his home. In the present time Paul’s sister has cancer and is fighting for her life. Both look to faith to find a way through. Starring: Alexander Kanev, Hristo Garbov, Yani Malinov, Irena Miliankova, Krystjo Lafazanov, Iren Krivoshieva, Pavel Poppandov and Maria Kavardjikova.
When you’re dealing with a film which is so inherently built upon religion and faith, it’s typically going to be made for a very specific audience. That then raises the question of: does it have something to offer everyone or just those who believe? With Don’t Close Your Eyes, Nikolay Egermann and Martin Ralchevski make something that will be enjoyed most by those with faith but can still be enjoyed by those without it.
A lot of that is due to the other key part of Don’t Close Your Eyes being family and sibling relationships. Ralchevski explores the responsibility that goes along with siblings, particularly between an older brother and younger sister, and even more so in a community with traditional values. How the lives of Peter and Paul are thrown into disarray when they believe they’ve failed in their duty as brothers. Leading them to look to faith for signs and answers, and in that sense, the story is familiar and can tend to become highly sentimental.
There is a fairly stereotypical tone lingering with Don’t Close Your Eyes, it occasionally tries too hard to manufacture emotion, especially with the score which can be heavy handed. While the tone does become more natural the further the film progresses, it does also move quite slowly despite spanning a couple of decades. Nikolay Egermann’s direction is lacking personality, the choice of shots are often extremely basic, though there are occasionally some strong location choices to make up for that.
Another element that helps to make Don’t Close Your Eyes more accessible for a wider audience, is the performance from Alexander Kanev. There’s plenty of emotion but he manages to refrain from becoming melodramatic. Kanev as Paul brings a sincere generosity and kindness, which added to his slight crisis of faith in the face of his sister’s illness basically makes him the heart of the film. While Peter’s (played by Hristo Garbov and Yani Malinov) story feels more formulated, there’s something organic to Paul’s struggle.
Don’t Close Your Eyes is very much made for an audience who can relate to how the story is so intrinsically linked to faith, but thankfully it isn’t so niche that it alienates other viewers. There’s a solid drama at work, while it may have to stretch itself a little thin and is a bit predictable, it does still have something to offer. The direction is basic, but you could argue that reflects the film’s earnest nature. It may not quite delve to a deeper level of emotion, but it has a wholesome story to tell.
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