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Directors: Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov 
Stars: Maria Bakalova, Margita Gosheva, Julian Vergov
Distributor: Bankside Films

“Wrong hole.”

Bulgarian military officials and a complete unit find themselves digging random holes in the middle of a field. The reason? The pursuit of an alien object led by a psychic.

Triumph opens with precisely the wrong hole being dug. Six-foot deep and a waste of time; onto the next one. Eccentric and over-dramatic psychic, Pirina (Margita Gosheva) insists that the alien object is buried below…just not where the privates are currently digging.

In addition to Pirina, a younger teenage psychic exists. Slava (Maria Bakalova), daughter of Col. Platnikov (Julian Vergov), allegedly possesses the powers present in Pirina, but to a much more extravagant extent. As the dig progresses further, and the holes run deeper, the intertwining relationships between fellow psychics, the Colonel and his daughter, the soldiers, and so on, begin to stretch and clash, all in pursuit of this mysterious object.

Initially, the concept of the situation and exaggerated acting from Pirina and Slava draws a varying hilarity. The daftness presented can be really hilarious. However, as the characters begin to engage with the unknown, and the risks seem greater, the comedic tones decrease and elements of horror begin to arise. The tonal shift completely works, as I don’t think that Triumph could have maintained its inconsistent humour for much longer, especially as the intensity among characters accelerates.

From the directing tag team, Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, the true triumph in Triumph is the establishment of uncertainty. For what begins as something stupid, essentially, the developed intensity and atmosphere contribute to an especially effective viewing, as the desperate Bulgarian outfit aggressively pursue something worthy to match and justify their existence.