Bulgaria's Abandoned Children: Revisited
In 2007 the BBC documentary film Bulgaria's Abandoned Children caused an international outcry because the images of neglect were so shocking to witness in a country that had just become a member of the European Union. Viewers were overwhelmed with emotion and anger when they saw Bulgarian children brutalized and dying before their eyes when in State care, having been abandoned by their parents because of some form of disability.
After the transmission of the film, MEP's and Ministers across Europe visited Bulgaria to demand changes, to ask to see conditions in other institutes and to donate money to instigate the process of change and de-institutionalization in a country suffering from the hangover of Communism. Eighteen months after filming Bulgaria's Abandoned Children - Director Kate Blewett returned this year to Bulgaria - to film with a handful of the children featured in the original deeply disturbing documentary - to see where they are today and how their lives have changed since the outcry.
It is testimony to the power of television to bring about concrete change, and also demonstrate how even apparently hopelessly withdrawn and "damaged" children can be reached, helped and given a meaningful life and future with the right care. Bulgaria's Abandoned Children: Revisited - shows both worlds, the past and the present in a 60 minute programme.
The 2007 film caused an international outcry because the images of neglect were so shocking to witness in a country that had just become a member of the European Union. The documentary demonstrates how even apparently hopelessly withdrawn and "damaged" children can be reached, helped and given a meaningful life and future with the right care.
Hi dose anyone know what happen too the little boy Stoylen who stood like a statue. I can’t see anything about him has he been rescued it seems just 2 /3 children have there nothing about the other children. And also how do you reached these children because i want to take that little boy and give him a life he deserves I hope his parents stuffer more then he did , the only people I believe who did this to them is there mum and dad and the government. Yes the people who was there carers they are evil but who let these evil people have them and let this happen. There’s something deeply satanic about this it’s the most evil thing I’ve ever seen .
Do not be fooled. Nothing ever changes in Bulgaria. The establishment makes it to look like this, so that common people across EU sleep tight at night.
While it may have caused and outcry and affected some change, it was not nearly enough. My daughter, adopted in 2015 out of one of the orphanages that will stay open, was almost 3 but the size of a 9 month old, severely malnourished, could hardly walk, couldn’t talk, and had a host of psychological and emotional issues due to severe trauma.
To think my brother had to go through that
Does anyone know what happened to Stoylen?
I am still deeply disturbed after watching this. I am extremely happy and relieved that these poor children have been moved to better places. The mindset of the caregivers and the director was scary. There were so many parts of the documentary that were horrific to watch. The regression of the children that we saw throughout the film was unbearable. I hope that someday these institutions are completely eliminated from each and every country.
A footnote to my original comment about this doc: I applaud! the filmmakers work & appreciate their accomplishments! If I had a criticism it would by that having viewed the 1st one, I wish there had been less of it in the 2nd & more new footage & information. I think that for a viewer who missed or had no access to the 1st, it's story could be shared/conveyed with more condensed images and more pointed narration. This is a true case of "a picture paints a thousand words"
I am so glad I found this! I have been haunted by the first doc(Bulgaria's Abandoned Children) & am greatly relieved to see these children saved & flourishing. I do wish they'd have shared the fate of the "care givers" & director of Mogilino. I'm not a vengeful person but I believe in justice. I hope they were held accountable, not simply moved on to a similar position. THAT would be yet another travesty! "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it" .This doc is, among other things, clear evidence that there is always hope. Thank you!
EU take by force children.This article didn' mentioned this. Do you know what can be the reason to take children by force well money for the social worker is enough motivation
I really HATE to say this, my mother is a therapist who works with foster children in the US, but I seriously believe that these children are better off dead than living in these horrible conditions. People in most countries do not treat ANIMALS this way. I am glad to see that there are at least some changes that have come from these documentaries and hope that this kind of treatment can be eradicated.
And wasn't it ablsoutely amazing how much concern Milan had for the filmmaker when he thought she might go back there? After all that he suffered he had so much compassion. I really and truly hope the "carers" in that place are put to death in a gruesome way. Director and Nurse especially who without a doubt knew that those children were not ill because of disease but because of malnutrition and neglect and abuse.
I would very much like to know how the little boy who stood in one place is doing. I am also wondering what happened with the employees. I hope they were shot. They knew what they were doing was wrong. I hope that I heard wrong when they said they would be training the current employees of Mogilino. Thank God for the woman who made this film.
This total w*ores still do not give a 6it about the kids
If it wasn't the bad image of Bulgaria that BBC created they wouldn't lift a finger to make the situation better - absolute hypocrisy
I am from Bulgaria and trust me I know what I'm talking about
Wonderful documentary. I had found the original by accident on Youtube and began to watch it. My heart just ached terribly for these children. After watching I had to find out if there was an update to these children's lives and how heartwarming to see that there was, and they were able to go to caring, loving places, where they could learn, live and thrive.
The BBC4 now needs to do one in Romania. I know there are others around the world like this , but if we thought Bulgaria is bad, Romania is worse. These children need help and change now!
The first documentary has remained so vivid in my memory since i wached it in 2008. It makes me sick to think that such innocent children have to live like this. This world is crazzy!!
having been adopted from romania, i feel nothing but gratitude... could have been me
Well done I haven't slept well since I saw the first documentary and am so pleased I have seen this update, an oscar for Kate she's a credit to mankind.Eileen
I saw the earlier documentary, and now this. I was near tears throughout, wanting so desperately to reach out to each of these children and hold each close to my heart. How desperately they need both proper nutrition, treatment, and love.
WOW...I am from the U.S. and the only thing I wanted to do was jump into the video and beat the man that was beating the kids, beat the director who was talking about I feel sorry for me, Im a good director and how she felt sorry for the building. No one can say that Vasky's leg was not purposely broken. They already knew how fragile those kids were but yet they handled them so carelessly and placed them back in their beds with bedsores. I pray that they are all doing well and being cared for. I cried when the child reached out his arms to the reporter so that she could hold him. You know there must have been sexual abuse as well and dont forget that a man (caretaker) walking those naked teenagers to the shower. That director looked like she took the money. Awesome documentary and awesome ending.
Beautiful ending :)
I rarely have anything good to say about the media - but then rarely does a journalist go into a subject like this one and so deeply.
It was not a one-off. She spent time there, 9months on and off and was able to follow through on her subject.
The result was a true revolution in the lives of these abandoned children.
May more of the muckrakers learn how to be good journalists.
Thank you to bbc4 and the staff that put the original documentary together and made such a difference in the lives of these children.
Broke my heart and the sad thing is this could have been you or I. Being born in an unfortunate situation like that was not a choice but complete bad luck. How would you feel if the world gave up on you.
Can someone do something to keep the ball rolling to make sure this does not keep happening?
A very touching and moving documentary. It shows us how brutal life can be, and that we must do something about it. Many thanks to the producers of this documentary along with the viewers who supported those children via donations and campaigns.
How truely fantastic it was to see that there can be total change in such a massive way.
I was heart broken at first.
That man that was beating mute children....
Total coward. I have the solution for his sort.
As the changes were showen, I had a glimmer of hope for the defensless souls of the children.
That glimmer turned into a lazer-light of elation for Didi and the others.
It just makes such a refreshing change to see some action taken, and some intervention.
Thats all it took.
For one womman to challenge that WEAK attempt of a system.
We should all wish to be as helpfull as her.
This just proves the carers comments in the previous 2007 video to be complete and utter bullcrap and misunderstanding!
Look at Vasky, I'm not going to lie and say I didn't think she was dying in the last video - because that really is what the likely outcome looked liked. Then you see her now, and she is doing so much better - and that really did make me smile.
The child at the end still breaks my heart and makes me well up - I just want to give these children so much love and care. I feel so lucky to have been brought up the way I have - even if it is the UK where you can pretty much want for nothing nowadays with our government systems that people (unlike myself) use and abuse. People that claim money for "disabilities" that basically cant be assed to get off their ass. Well maybe if they saw the genuine problems these children face day-in,day-out, they would (i'd hope) rethink their own lives.
Thank you very much for posting, it has opened up my eyes to a lot and my outlook is now very different to the one I had before. I'll never forget this. x