Aszparuh

Asparuh
US video cover
Directed by	Ludmil Staikov
Written by	Vera Mutafchieva
Produced by	Christo Nenov
Starring	Stoyko Peev Antoniy Genov Vanya Tsvetkova Djoko Rossich Anya Pencheva Petar Slabakov
Cinematography	Boris Yanakiev
Edited by	Eleanora Ezra Violeta Toshkova
Music by	Simeon Pironkov
Production companies	Studiya za igralni filmi Kinostudiya no Narodnata armiya Tvorcheski kolektiv "Sredets"
Release date	19 October 1981 (1981-10-19)
Running time	323 minutes
Country	Bulgaria
Language	Bulgarian

Khan Asparuh (Bulgarian: Хан Аспарух) is a 1981 three-part Bulgarian historical action drama film directed by Ludmil Staikov. It tells the story of Khan Asparuh and the events around the founding of the medieval Bulgarian state in 681 AD. Shot and released on the occasion of the 1300th anniversary of Bulgaria, the film received acclaim and was selected as the Bulgarian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 55th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

In 1984, the film was internationally released as 681 AD: The Glory of Khan in a 92-minute English-language edited version, down from the original 5½ hours. This version earned negative reviews for not presenting the entire plot well and focusing on certain aspects, thus changing the whole feel of the production.

Cast

• Stoyko Peev as Khan Asparukh of Bulgaria
• Antony Genov as Velisarius
• Vassil Mihajlov as Khan Kubrat
• Vania Tzvetkova as Pagane
• Stefan Getsov as The High Priest of Tangra
• Georgi Cherkelov as Velisarius' father
• Iossif Surchadzhiev as Constantine IV

See also

• List of historical drama films
• List of submissions to the 55th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
• List of Bulgarian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

External links

• Aszparuh at IMDb
• 681 AD: The Glory of Khan at IMDb