A one-off noir thrill-ride artfully crafted from chiaroscuro and fog.

In the opening moments, Moth is hurtled from a soviet jail into a stylised 60s Sofia underworld. He must steer at breakneck pace through the Kafkaesque communism, the severe architecture and the menagerie of bottom feeders.

Zift has the wit and style of the best noir with grim Balkan brawn. It creates an audaciously visceral world of scatology, glass eyes and a very fatal femme. A debut feature from theatre veteran Javor Gardev, it has been an instant global festival hit.

Rapid-fire plotting and exceptional photography combine to create a breathtaking riff on Bulgaria's repressive Communist past.

Director Javor Gardev is a guest of the Festival.