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Chris Zahariev: I JUST WANT TO CREATE!

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Written by: Ralie Blag
Translation: Neil Scarth

‘Do what you love – love what you do.’ This is what Christian Zahariev will hint to us via his favourite poster on the wall of his own room. Just one more reminder that something genuine and moving cannot but be born if this is a sincere expression of our love, joy and strong personal inclination towards something, no matter what that might be.

It is with this idea and attitude in mind that he himself spontaneously started his project of sharing his views of the world around us and the everyday life that happens to us via his YouTube channel. Maybe it’s precisely this that is so appealing in his vlog – the palpable positive energy and world-view. I personally found out about him not long ago via his video ‘Bulgaria is worth it’ and then ‘Grateful’. I was genuinely impressed… and I am now, even more so, because his signature style is taking shape ever more clearly as the visual presentation gets more and more stunning and captivating and as the combination with featured music and background sounds becomes ever more exquisite.

The recording and editing takes him varying amounts of time and energy depending on the complexity, but, apart from dedicating himself to this important activity, ‘I also really love to travel, to draw, to enjoy life – any free moment I get, I’m out and about,’ says Kris about himself. He is barely 18 and yet over the last two or three years he has managed to complete and share tens of themed videos which allow us to witness his growth, both personally and ‘professionally’. During this period he has studied graphic design and graphic arts in the Professional High School for Visual Arts (Sofia) after originally being attracted by the idea of a future career as an artist. And, as he himself puts it, it has always been people that he’s been on the look-out for and chosen to portray. His empathy for the human and the value of people in enriching our world seems to be the main focus in this young man’s journey of discovery.

‘I don’t have a favourite topic amongst the videos but the more I mature, the more I realise it’s much easier to make someone laugh than to make him think; so the older I get, the more I find it kind of fulfilling to have made a video that gets someone thinking’ – he concedes.

But he doesn’t deliberately seek out ‘motivating stories’ in particular, which makes it all the more beautiful when he finds them because life itself brings them to him as they come to his consciousness and perception in a natural and authentic way.

You were created to radiate light! Not artificial light – the spotlight, external and alien, but the light of the creator inside you and with the unique hues of your creativity. Coloured by the way you see things. Creativity is not before your eyes, it is in your heart, in your very essence.’ Here is the statement of intent with which Chris sets off on his consciously chosen path with the message in perhaps his first real video from a series in progress: entitled ‘Different’ and published on his channel on 23 January 2013. Moreover, it is hardly accidental that he cites this highly emblematic New Testament inspiration at the end: ‘You are the light of the world… In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.’ (Matthew 5: 14, 16)

In answer to our question about what has led him to his faith and, clearly, the realisation that it will be an inseparable part of him in future, Chris tells us: ‘I grew up in a Christian family but my parents never pushed me to believe. I took this path on my own initiative, alone. There was a period in my life when I had got off on the wrong track. I got in with the wrong crowd, I did things which were wrong. As a young teenager I got mixed up in all kinds of trouble. At some point I stopped and looked around at the place where I was. It wasn’t where I wanted to be. It was then I decided that I wasn’t going to let my environment have an influence on me and change me for the worse. And with God’s help I managed to get out of all those messes which I’d got myself into and to begin afresh. Then I discovered that faith is something real and since then I’ve travelled side by side with God.’

Since it’s clear that alongside the fun stuff, the more serious and profound stuff is more and more coming to the fore, we ask how he decided to get into the subject matter reflected in his first not just vlogs but more like full mini-documentaries, ‘Lead me to school’ and ‘Shelter’. Chris explains simply: ‘I have a great desire to help people and to try out new things, so that’s why I decided, with great motivation, to shoot these two documentary films. Plus both foundations mentioned in them are in need of donations, so it was really a great pleasure for me to inform my public about them.’ And he really succeeds in this! He comments how delighted he was when it comes to the shelter for the homeless in Dobrich when his completion and sharing of the film brought in a donation of 2000 leva.

So that’s how everything led smoothly towards the start of his newest venture: The Up to Us Project’, ie ‘It depends on us’: this is a statement of the intent to broaden their quest and audience beyond the borders of Bulgaria – for now this means sub-titling his films with English translations with the help of a girl amongst his friends. Via this project Chris has set himself the goal of presenting people who have changed the world in their own way. He strongly hopes to get the opportunity to travel far and wide and to discover all kinds of unfamiliar but inspiring stories which are worth telling. He’s also been thinking about getting better equipment which would give him even better capabilities for visual representation as well as why not then have a drone at his disposal?! And this in the belief that things will develop and improve gradually with time and everything will fall into place. He doesn’t intend to give up the fun vlogs, though, as he has plenty of ideas to develop there too.

At the end of the day Chris Zahariev sums things up like this: ‘In future I just want to create! If that earns me a living – super! If not, I’ll just work a bit harder to make sure that happens! :)’ And this is what we wish for him!

_________________

CHANGE
Prose translation of a poem by Mira Doichinova – irini

The world changes completely when
you reach out your arms in embrace.
When before you recognise a friend
and the two of you have one common heart.
The world changes when you forgive
and ask for forgiveness – for everything.
When you give goodness without wanting anything in return
and when, with no ulterior motives, you love.
The world changes when you laugh
with the purest laughter of a child.
Then you realise that actually you live
for joy… without pain and fear.
The world changes when you don’t stop
making your beautiful dreams come true.
The world changes… but how can you not understand
that actually the one who changes it is… you.

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