Watch Trade Routes

Trade Routes is a 2007 British-Bulgarian film directed by David Kane. The story revolves around a British businessman named Hemingway, played by William Hope, who is sent to Bulgaria to close a deal for his boss. While in the country, he finds himself caught up in a web of corruption, bureaucracy, and cultural differences that threaten to derail his mission.

Hemingway is a successful executive who is used to getting what he wants. He is confident, charming, and knows how to negotiate. When his boss sends him to Bulgaria to close a deal with a local company, he expects to breeze through the process and return to London with a big win for the firm.

However, the reality he encounters in Bulgaria is very different from what he expected. His local contact is a young woman named Katerina, played by Teodora Duhovnikova, who is struggling to keep her family's business afloat. Katerina is smart and resourceful, but she is also caught up in a game of political and economic power where she has little control.

As Hemingway and Katerina try to navigate the murky waters of Bulgarian business and politics, they come across a cast of characters who add to the complexity of the situation. There is a corrupt government official, a shady businessman, and a group of gypsies who are being evicted from their land. Each of these characters has their own agenda, and Hemingway and Katerina have to figure out how to deal with them to achieve their goals.

The film explores themes of culture clash, power dynamics, and the human cost of profit-driven business. Hemingway and Katerina are both outsiders in a country that is not their own, and they have to navigate not only the language barrier but also the cultural differences that often lead to misunderstandings. They also have to confront the fact that their mission is not just about closing a deal but also about the lives and livelihoods of the people involved.

The acting in Trade Routes is solid, with William Hope and Teodora Duhovnikova giving strong performances as the two leads. The supporting cast also does a good job of bringing the various characters to life, even if some of them are a bit stereotypical.

The cinematography is another strong point of the film, with the Bulgarian landscape providing a beautiful backdrop for the action. The director uses a lot of wide shots to capture the sense of scale and distance in the story, as well as close-ups to convey the emotions of the characters.

Overall, Trade Routes is a well-made film that explores important themes in an engaging and thought-provoking way. While it may not be the most action-packed or suspenseful movie out there, it is definitely worth a watch for anyone interested in international business, cross-cultural communication, or political thrillers.