'The Avenger' Chronicles Bulgarian Revolutionary Mara Buneva in US Premiere

A special screening of the documentary film The Avenger about the life of Mara Buneva is scheduled for January 24 in Troy, Michigan, USA, reports BNR. The film will be shown at 1:00 PM local time at the Balkan American Center (1451 E. Big Beaver, Troy 48083), according to Bulgarians in Detroit.

The Avenger explores the dramatic life of Mara Buneva (1902–1928), a Macedonian‑Bulgarian revolutionary and member of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO), who is remembered in Bulgarian history as a heroine for assassinating Velimir Prelić, a Serbian official involved in the repression of Macedonian activists. After shooting Prelić in Skopje on January 13, 1928, she took her own life shortly afterward. Her actions were part of a broader resistance against Serbian rule in the region, but have made her a controversial figure in neighboring North Macedonia, where views on her legacy vary.

The documentary blends historical footage, expert commentary, and reenactments to trace her path - from her early years in Tetovo and Sofia to her involvement in IMRO and her final act on the Vardar River bridge. It has been featured in international festivals and previously screened in Skopje to mark anniversaries of her death.

The Troy screening offers audiences in the United States a chance to engage with a complex piece of Balkan history that continues to influence cultural memory and political narratives in Bulgaria and beyond.