My Mate Manchester United

Bulgarian construction worker Zdravkov Levidzhov once dreamed of becoming a great soccer player. It was not to be, so he tried to become an outstanding referee. That didn't work out either, so then he turned his ambitions to coaching children's teams. Alas, his future once again lay elsewhere. Now, many years later, Levidzhov has discovered something in which he does excel: being a fan. His business card even states that his occupation is "fan," alongside his newly adopted name: Manchester United. The soccer team is everything to him, as demonstrated by his clothing and home decor. He remains modest on the subject: "Manchester United chose me to be their fan." His cat is called Beckham. The Bulgarian wants the successful team to compensate him for his despondent existence. His crushed ambitions parallel the dreams of his post-communist homeland, where there is little evidence of "economic freedom." Particularly his conversations with friends paint the picture of a contemporary Bulgaria that is still dealing with its communist past and facing an uncertain future. This disappointment is pervasive, leading to beautiful scenes such as when he and his friends drift down the river on a pontoon, smoking and drinking; disillusionment forces them to their replacement reality.