The Boy Who Had Been a King

An Agitprop production in co-production with Zero One Film and Bayerischer Rundfunk, in colaboration with Funnel 4/TSR/YLE. (Worldwide sales: Autlook Filmsales, Vienna.) Created by Martichka Bozhilova. Directed, compiled by Andrey Paounov.With: Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. (Bulgarian, British dialogue)The eccentricity that informed Andrey Paounov's first feature docu, "The Bug Problem along with other Tales," runs just like a live wire throughout his amusing "The Boy Who Had Been a King." Fighting off standard documaking codes, Paounov's portrait from the unusual political career of Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Bulgaria's child king throughout World war 2 and then chosen pm, is another study of his fellow Bulgarians as well as their inclination to transport their passion for royalty too much. Pic's only a miniature, but it might be an error for nonfiction fests to miss it. Presuming the throne at 7 in 1943, King Simeon was tossed in to the absurd situation to be the earth's youngest mind of condition plus an ally of Hitler, then fled to Cairo at war's finish once the U.S.S.R. required charge of defeated Bulgaria. Pic's terrific utilization of archival footage includes an exiled Simeon questioned in early '60s, arguing his playboy repetition. His publish-1989 return like a national hero goes south when his term as chosen P.M. proves failing, but pic offers amusing good examples of popular support for Simeon, including plenty of tattooing. Editing is bullets.Camera (color/B&W, HD), Boris Missirkov, Georgi Bogdanov editors, Svetla Neykova, Rene Froelke, Georgi Bogdanov, Paounov music, Ivo Paunov. Examined at Toronto Film Festival (Real to Reel), Sept. 14, 2011. (Also working in london Film Festival.) Running time: 90 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com