Blind Vaysha

Vaysha is not like other young girls; she was born with one green eye and one brown eye. But her odd eyes aren’t the only thing that’s special about her gaze.

Her left eye sees only the past while her right, only the future. Like a terrible curse, Vaysha’s split vision prevents her from living in the present. Blinded by what was and tormented by what will be, she remains trapped between two irreconcilable temporalities, unable to see the reality that exists in the present. “Blind Vaysha,” they called her.

In this short animated film adapted from the philosophical short story by Georgi Gospodinov, a leading multidisciplinary author from the younger generation of Bulgarian writers, renowned filmmaker and animator Theodore Ushev reaffirms his virtuosity in visual experimentation. Using an expressive and powerful style poised halfway between religious paintings and linocuts, Ushev creates a film that is both symbolic and accessible.

Featuring bucolic European landscapes and Benedictine architecture, and brilliantly narrated by actress Caroline Dhavernas, Blind Vaysha is a captivating metaphoric tale about the difficulty of being in the here and now. With timeless beauty and wisdom, it reminds us of the importance of living in the present moment.