The award is provided by Doli Media Studio For the 24th consecutive year, the Sofia International Film Festival has a competition for best Bulgarian short film. It is a valuable tradition and supports young authors who have made their short film stories. For the seventh year in a row the award will be presented by Doli Media Studio , and the winning film will be selected by the international jury of the festival. The members of the selection committee – directors Tonislav Hristov, Atanas Hristovskov and Elena Toncheva, last year’s winner of the Best Short Film Award, shared their impressions: “Out of the 65 films that applied, we selected 12, distinguished by their original style and clear artistic vision. There was a wide variety of genres and styles, as well as a boldness for experimentation. Our selection was guided by the quality of the narrative and professional execution. We believe that we have created an exciting selection for the audience – our goal is for the festival program to present a strong and meaningful diversity in short cinema.” Here are the 12 titles in this year's Bulgarain Short Film competition (arranged here in alphabetical order according to their titles): 1. Balconada , 2025, director Iva Tokmakchieva , 8 min. 2. Black Dog , 2026, director Alex Krassimirov , 22 min. 3. The Blue Angels , 2025, director Dobromir Baychev , 28 min. 4. Brazil , 2025, director Grigor Lefterov , 15 min. 5. Clay , 2026, director Kristiyan Georgiev , 24 min. 6. The Day She Will Be Born , 2025, director Emil Spahiyski , 16 min. 7. Eva , 2025, director Martin Genovski , 14 min. 8. Found at Sea , Bulgaria-Belgium, 2025, director Dimana Markovska , 20 min. 9. A Great Day , 2025, director Georgi Yovchev , 11 min. 10. Impromptu , Bulgaria-Romania, 2026, director Maya Vitkova – Kosev , 20 min. 11. Ravanera , 2025, director Teodor Ralev , 10 min. 12. Soar , 2025, director Valya Pelova , 18 min. The award is worth 9,500 euros (1,500 euros cash prize and 8,000 euros in post-production services), provided by Doli Media Studio , given to the director of the winning film. Over the years, many of the leading names in contemporary Bulgarian cinema have participated in the competition, including Dragomir Sholev, Andrey Paounov, Boris Despodov, Svetla Tsotsorkova, Petar Valchanov, Pavel Vesnakov. The long-term support of this program by the Irish whiskey Jameson has contributed to the successful development of short films in Bulgaria. A mission from the very beginning of the Sofia International Film Festival has been to support Bulgarian cinema in all its creative manifestations. Good luck to the selected films and their creative teams! * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

The Sofia Film Festival's International Competition for First and Second Films is being held for the 24th year, and its jury will be responsible for awarding the Grand Prize "Sofia - City of Film", provided by the Sofia Municipality. In addition to the two films that have already been announced - "Lust" by Ralitza Petrova and "Women Out of Order" by Alexander Kossev, we present six more films from the competition: Nina Roza by the Canadian director Geneviève Dulude-De Celles was made with significant Bulgarian participation. Bulgarian actor and director Galin Stoev plays the main character Mihail – an emigrant to Canada, forced to return to Bulgaria after a 30-year absence. Only if he personally sees the work of a talented girl in his homeland, will he be able to determine whether she is a genius or a deceiver. Forced to face the past, which must be forgotten, he will realize to what extent he has distanced himself from his own daughter, who shared the emigrant fate with him. The film is a co-production between Canada, Italy, Bulgaria and Belgium. The role of the daughter Rose is played by Michelle Tzontchev, with the heroine Nina being played by the twins Sofia and Ekaterina Stanini, and in the other roles we will see Svetlana Yancheva, Elena Atanasova, Dimitar Nikolov, Anastasia Koleva and others. Nina Rosa's world premiere is in the Berlinale main competition programme. * * * The theme of women trying to find their way in life, regardless of where they were born and what their destiny is, continues to be central to the film narratives of Bolivian writer and director Álvaro Olmos Torrico . His second feature film, The Condor Daughter , tells the story of a remote community high in the Bolivian Andes – young Clara learns the songs and sacred traditions of midwifery from her adoptive mother Ana, who helps pregnant women in the villages in the area. Clara is an intelligent and curious girl and is naturally attracted to the influences that permeate her community – she takes the risk of leaving and trying to become a singer in a nearby town. This film juxtaposes the traditions of the Quechua people with modernity – through a story from South America, the director recreates the inevitable change that is part of our time. * * * The feature-length debut of Greek director and screenwriter Amerissa Basta , Life in a Beat , follows the eternal pursuit of happiness – part of the path of growing up. The monotonous everyday life of young Lena, combined with constant family conflicts, suddenly turns upside down when she loses her job and discovers that she is pregnant. Whether she will be given the opportunity to regain her independence – the chance to achieve harmony depends on the choice she will make. Basta’s co-writer is Dimitris Nakos, who is also one of the producers of the film, a co-production between Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria (Ivan Tonev, Ars Digital), North Macedonia, Montenegro and France. * * * Romanian writer, journalist and director Cecilia Ștefănescu makes her feature film debut with A Safe Place – a film which focuses on the changes in the lives of two close friends who recharge their batteries on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. One of them is Lucia, who has a wonderful family, but after the sudden appearance of a man from her past, intrigues become entangled and feelings are getting stronger and wilder. * * * The first feature film by German screenwriter and director Kai Stänicke , Trial of Hein , tells the story of a member of a small community who returns to his hometown and is greeted with distrust and skepticism. Doubts about the “foreigner” Hein grow to such an extent that the village community convenes a court to determine whether an impostor is trying to infiltrate their isolated island in the North Sea. The film explores the way in which relationships between people change under the influence of pressure from common notions - about good and evil, truth and lies. * * * As in her debut feature Dust , which followed the dangerous journey of a woman who wants to bury her mother in Afghanistan, the second feature film by Turkish director Gözde Kural focuses again on the fate of women. Her heroine Leyla's family is wiped out by the Taliban, and she takes the most dangerous step - she changes her identity to find her kidnapped son, but even the slightest hesitation on this path leads to death. Cinema Jazireh is a co-production between Turkey, Iran, Bulgaria and Romania, with Svetla Tsotsorkova as the Bulgarian co-producer. Stay tuned for information about the other films in the International Competition and in the program of the 30th Sofia Film Festival! * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

The creative path of one of the established masters in Bulgarian cinema, Emil Hristov, extends over four decades. With his distinctive visual style, sense of light and dramaturgy, he is the author of some of the most significant feature and documentary film productions in Bulgaria such as "Zift", "The World is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner", "The Countess", "Losers", "Late Full Moon", "House No. 8", "Neon Stories" and others. Each film, shot with precision and perfectionism, bears his characteristic signature - carefully constructed atmosphere, strong visual concept and emotional depth. His work on "Zift" became a benchmark for stylish black and white cinematography in the recent history of Bulgarian cinema, and "The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner" received international recognition and is the only Bulgarian film to date to reach the shortlist for the Oscar nominations in the international film category. In 2012, his directorial debut "The Color of the Chameleon" appeared on screen, an adaptation of the novel "Zincograph" by Vladislav Todorov, which received three awards at the Golden Rose festival, including best film. Emil Hristov also has extensive experience in television productions, music projects and advertising campaigns, where he has demonstrated his ability to combine artistic vision with the dynamics of contemporary visual formats. Over the years, he has established himself as one of the leading operators in the region and is the recipient of numerous professional awards and recognitions from film festivals in Bulgaria and abroad. With his consistency, professionalism and artistic approach, Emil Hristov continues to develop the visual language of Bulgarian cinema and inspire the new generation of filmmakers. In an effort not to miss the most important highlights of his creative path, we invited film critic Genoveva Dimitrova to write about him and the portrait will be published in the 30th Sofia Film Festival's catalogue - we present here a quote from her text. * * * "Bulgaria has at least a dozen outstanding cinematographers, some of whom work successfully abroad, yet among them all one name stands out: Emil Hristov (born August 13, 1956). From his early years to the present day, his presence in Bulgarian cinema has been associated with temperament and doubt, with perfectionism and radicalism – and with a notoriously difficult character. And, of course, with his ever-present scarf. In just a few years, the bold young rebel evolved into a star “big boss” of cinematography. In the late 1980s, visiting our film studies class at VITIZ (now NATFA), he remarked: “Bulgarian cinema is like the landscape outside the window.” In 1993, when I asked him in an interview for the newspaper Kultura how we might escape that landscape, he replied bluntly: “Pull down the blinds.”... Genoveva Dimitrova * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

The programme of the Balkan Competition of Sofia Film Festival traditionally includes 12 of the most successful films created in the region in the past year. We present here six of the films in this year's selection. Teona Strugar Mitevska 's latest film is Mother - an intriguing story about seven days in the life of a woman who dedicated herself to the service of others. Hope, torment, insoluble dilemmas and dramatic twists are recreated in a uniquely affecting way by the cast, led by Noomi Rapace and Sylvia Hoeks. The director is also a co-writer, together with Gotse Smilevski and Elma Tataradzic. Mitevska said in an interview that creation of this film is the fulfillment of a long-standing dream of hers, which originated during her work on the documentary project Teresa and Me - " It took me 25 years to become the woman I am today and to make "Mother" - a film that presents me as I want to be: brave, daring and free... Mother Teresa was strict, harsh, with impeccable discipline, and at the same time, for millions of people, maternally caring, beyond our understanding; she was not perfect, but she was truly remarkable... "Mother" provokes reflection and offers a different view of holiness, femininity, sisterhood and motherhood! " The premiere of the film, a co-production between North Macedonia, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark and Bosnia and Herzegovina, was in the "Horizons" programme of the Venice Film Festival. * * * Two of Turkish director Özcan Alper ’s films have participated in the International Competition of the Sofia Film Festival over the years – Autumn , awarded with the prize for Best Director in 2009, and Future Lasts Forever in 2012. His eighth feature film Early Winter will have its international premiere in Sofia! Alper uses his specific skills and mastery in shaping the dramatic accents in the story. This story is about the separation between the young, beautiful Lia and the child she created as a surrogate mother; about the relationship between her and the man of the childless family from Istanbul; about the hopeless reality in which military actions and refugee problems are part of everyday life. Melancholy, guilt, compassion intertwine with human pain in this impressive cinematic story. * * * Another film in the Balkan Competition has been included after its premiere in the "Horizons" section of Venice – Milk Teeth by screenwriter and director Mihai Mincan . The film is a co-production between Romania, France, Denmark, Greece and Bulgaria (Poli Angelova and Nikolay Todorov, Screening Emotions) and introduces the audience to a family in which one of the daughters suddenly and inexplicably disappears. The parents are faced with a dysfunctional judicial system, the family gradually loses hope but the younger 10-year-old Maria has no intention of giving up and does everything possible to find her sister. * * * The premiere of How Come It's All Green Out Here? , the second feature film by Serbian director Nikola Ležaić , was in the programmes of Pula and Karlovy Vary. The co-production between Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria (Nikolai Mutafchiev, PREMIERstudio) is a variation on the theme "road movie", following a director who sets off for collecting his memories, together with his father and part of the family to Dalmatia, and their main task is to bury the remains of his grandmother. And although nothing special happens during this trip, some details about family relationships, related to the memory of the past and the fragments of the post-Yugoslav reality in which the characters of this story exist, sneak into the semi-autobiographical plot. * * * Otter is the latest film by Bosnian screenwriter and director Srđan Vuletić , whose feature-length debut Summer in the Golden Valley participated in the second competition programme of the Sofia Film Festival in 2004. The story, which he is telling two decades later, is once again centered on young people and their adversities in an attempt to adapt to the adult world. After a series of losses and disappointments, a shy 16-year-old girl tries to cope with her feelings for a classmate, but finds herself caught in the chaos of an emotional drama involving various victims. The film is a co-production between Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Croatia and Kosovo. * * * Touching, humorous, brutally honest and inspiring is Whites Wash at Ninety , the new feature film by Slovenian director Marko Naberšnik , based on the bestselling autobiographical novel of the same name by Bronja Žakelj. The film’s narrative follows the stages of the life of the young heroine, who is diagnosed with cancer. Despite the seemingly insurmountable trials she faces, her actions reaffirm her will and optimism. The director is the author of the third most watched Slovenian film of all time ( Rooster’s Breakfast ) and continues to create captivating cinematic narratives – his new film was nominated for the Audience Award at festivals in Sarajevo, Ljubljana, Cottbus, Skopje and others. * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

The latest film by Hungarian master of symbols Ildikó Enyedi - Silent Friend - premiered at the Venice Film Festival and, in addition to a Golden Lion nomination, received six awards, including the Marcello Mastroianni Prize for Best Young Actress (for Luna Wedler), the FIPRESCI Prize and the special Green Drop Award. The connection with nature and the relationships between people continue to be leading themes in the stories that Enyedi recreates with flair and skill, and the film stars the legendary Tony Leung Chiu-wai, making his debut in European art-house cinema. His role is that of a modern-day researcher, with the plot threads spanning in three time periods and focusing on the destinies of different characters. Here is what Variety and The Hollywood Reporter share in their reviews: "The film is as natural and earthy as the green flora it gazes upon... and tells the story of three characters who similarly learn to adjust their gaze and inner rhythm to the calmer patience of plant life." "Ennedi is a master with a style that combines visual poetry with delicate humor or grand ideas with everyday frailties - and she does so in a film that explores the mysterious connection of humans with the green world, but also between us." * * * Director, cinematographer and photographer Vincent Munier has dedicated his work to the connection with wildlife. For the film The Velvet Queen , which he created with Marie Amiguet in search of the extremely rare snow leopards in the high mountains of Tibet, he received the César for best documentary and premiered in the Climate Cinema section at the Cannes Film Festival. At the beginning of the millennium, Munier was the first photographer to win the Eric Hosking Award three times – a prestigious recognition of his skills from the Natural History Museum, London. His latest film is Whispers in the Woods . In an attempt to pass on his knowledge to his son, gathered over the years by his father and careful observation of wildlife, the film intertwines the perspectives of three generations in a shared fascination. A metaphysical visual story with a contemplative atmosphere, Whispers in the Woods also includes music by Warren Ellis, the famous collaborator of Nick Cave. The sound of this poetic tale is brilliant and gives the audience a chance to hear the whispers of the forest. The film urges the audience immerse themselves in contemplation of nature and imperceptibly puts man in his place - as an ordinary actor in the great universal mechanism, in which every small living creature has its role. * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

The Sofia Film Festival's International Competition for First and Second Feature Films is being held for the 24th year, and its jury will be responsible for awarding the Grand Prize "Sofia - City of Film", provided by the Sofia Municipality. Ralitza Petrova ’s debut feature “Godless” became a phenomenon with its success at Locarno and the Golden Leopard award, subsequently winning the Grand Prize for Best Film at Sofia Film Festival. Her next project “ Lust ” was eagerly awaited and will have its world premiere at one of the most prestigious festivals in the world – Berlinale, in the “Forum” section. The story follows Lillian, who works as a psychologist in an American prison, and after the death of her unknown father is forced to return to her hometown in Bulgaria. Passing through unresolved debts, institutional inertia and a decaying body stuck in a bureaucratic vacuum, the film traces the convergence of mourning, the body and the fragile border between power and submission. “ Lust” looks at the emptiness left by absent fathers and the burden that daughters continue to live with. The film is a psychodrama that moves between mystery, the imaginary and the ghostly - not to resolve the issues, but to trace how it shakes control and sometimes opens a gap ,” shares Ralitsa Petrova. The cast includes Snejanka Mihaylova, Nikola Mutafov, Mihail Milchev, Alexis Atmadjov; the cinematographer is Julian Atanasov. The film is produced by its screenwriter and director for Aporia Filmworks (Bulgaria), in collaboration with Poli Angelova and Nikolay Todorov for Screening Emotions (Bulgaria), with the support of the Bulgarian NFC Agency. The co-producers are the Danish company Snowglobe and the Swedish company Silver Films, with the support of the Danish Film Institute, Film I Vast and Eurimages. * * * " Women Out of Order " is the second full-length feature film by Alexander Kossev , whom the audience know as the director of the successful and beloved film "Petya of My Petya", watched by over 100,000 viewers in Bulgarian cinemas. The plot of the new work, whose screenwriter is Neli Dimitrova, intertwines the stories of four women, each of whom is at a different stage of her life. And although their problems are of a completely different nature, all four cannot get rid of the obsessive feeling that the meaninglessness around them is increasingly overwhelming. In conflict with age, femininity, love and pain, they desire change - extreme, painful, and unconditionally life-giving. Their emotions are conveyed by the actors Silvia Lulcheva, Albena Pavlova, Elena Atanasova, Alexandra Kostova, Vladimir Penev, Julian Vergov and others. The film's cinematographer is Mihail Yanakiev, the music is by Georgi Strezov, and the producer is Nikolay Urumov (Auris Film / BOF Pictures). Stay tuned for information about the other films in the International Competition and the programme of the 30th Sofia Film Festival! * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

One of the most significant directors of contemporary cinema – David Mackenzie will be among the dearest guests of the 30th Sofia Film Festival and will receive the SIFF Special Award. David Mackenzie was born in 1966. The audience of Sofia Film Festival knows him well since his debut film “The Last Great Wilderness” (2002), included in the competition program of the festival in 2003. A year later, he captivated film lovers with his existential drama “Young Adam”, which brought him worldwide popularity. A film adaptation of the novel by the Scottish poet Alexander Troki, the film won the “Michael Powell” award for best British film at the Edinburgh festival. Mackenzie’s next two films – “Asylum” (2005) and “Hallam Foe” (2007) were nominated for the “Golden Bear” at the Berlin festival. This was followed by "Spread" (2009) and the captivating "Perfect Sense" (2011) starring Ewan McGregor and Eva Green, dedicated to the meaning of love in our troubled times. In 2016, his film "Hell or High Water" premiered in Cannes, starring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine and Ben Foster, based on a screenplay by Taylor Sheridan, which received four Oscar nominations and more than 40 awards from around the world. In 2012, David Mackenzie was the chairman of the International Jury of the Sofia Film Festival, and now he comes with his two latest films - "Relay" (2024) and "Fuze" (2025), demonstrating his ability to combine genre traditions with dramatic human stories. Lily James and Oscar winner Riz Ahmed compete for the attention of the audience in the thriller "Fuze" - the main character helps potential whistleblowers deal with corporate offenders, while keeping his identity completely secret. One of his clients is a former employee of a biotechnology company who wants to return stolen documents in exchange for compensation. While the deal is being negotiated, the two are faced with the difficult choice between anonymity and the desire for personal contact, with one of the important questions being how to live in a world where it is increasingly difficult to remain unnoticed. According to the Financial Times, the film is a "stylish thriller that recalls 1970s classics," with "impressive work from actor Riz Ahmed." "Fuze" is a gripping and suspenseful thriller, full of unexpected twists, surprises and fast-paced action. After a World War II bomb is discovered on a construction site in a busy area of ​​London, the authorities react in a flash, determined to protect the many innocent bystanders nearby. Time runs out and it gradually becomes clear that no one can be trusted. The fast-paced "Fuze" is written by Ben Hopkins. The cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Sam Worthington, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Theo James. In the tradition of gritty thrillers, combining elements of a crime mystery with the tense rhythm of skillfully constructed action, "Fuze" will captivate the attention of viewers in the program of the 30th Sofia Film Festival in March. David Mackenzie's visit to the 30th Sofia Film Festival is in partnership with the British Council, Sofia and marks the 35th anniversary of an exceptionally fruitful collaboration. * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU at #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the birth of Václav Havel , one of the most prominent figures of the European 20th century, the 30th Sofia International Film Festival in partnership with the Czech Center presents a special panorama of Czech films dedicated to the life, ideas and creative legacy of the playwright, dissident and statesman, who became a symbol of freedom and moral responsibility. The panorama, provided with the assistance of the Czech Center in Sofia , brings together documentary portraits and feature films revealing Václav Havel in his complexity and contradictions - as a writer and intellectual, as a man of doubt and irony, as a president, invariably guided by his conscience. Among the film highlights is the remarkable documentary Citizen Havel (2007) by Pavel Koutecki and Miroslav Janek, offering unprecedented access behind the scenes of the presidential institution. Filmed over a period of more than ten years, the film traces Havel's first terms as president of the Czech Republic - a period marked by political compromises, personal doubts and the clash between moral ideal and real power. The camera captures Havel as a man in a process of constant hesitation and self-reflection - vulnerable, ironic, sometimes tired, but consistent in his belief that politics must obey ethics. Václav Havel - Living in Freedom (2014) by Andrea Sedlačková presents a comprehensive portrait of Václav Havel, examining his life in a broader historical and cultural context. From his youth and his first theatrical successes, through dissident activities and years of repression, to his role as president and internationally recognized intellectual. The film emphasizes the idea of ​​freedom as a moral responsibility, which Havel defended both in his texts and in his public actions. Through archival footage, interviews and historical analysis, Václav Havel - Living in Freedom builds an accessible but profound story about a man who turned personal risk into a public duty. The latest documentary Havel Speaking, Can You Hear Me? (2023) by Petr Jančárek is a deeply personal and existential portrait of Václav Havel. Built on over 200 hours of archival footage shot in the last years of his life, the film reveals Havel far from the public image – as a man facing old age, illness, doubts and inevitable reckoning. Jančárek presents Havel as the “director of his own life” – with a sense of self-irony and a deep commitment to the idea that actions should be in harmony with conscience. The film received a strong international response. The feature film part of the panorama includes screen adaptations of Havel's texts and films directly related to his dramaturgy and worldview. Audience (1990) by the emblematic director Jiri Menzel and screenwriter Václav Havel is a screen adaptation of the first play from the so-called "Vanek Plays", in which the main character - a dissident writer - is forced to work in a brewery. His meeting with the master brewer develops into an absurd dialogue, oscillating between a "friendly conversation" and an interrogation. Audience is a classic example of Havel's absurdity, in which laughter and anxiety coexist. The direction of Jiri Menzel, one of Havel's closest creative associates, transforms the text into a powerful cinematic allegory of compromise, pressure and moral choice in a totalitarian society. The Beggar's Opera (1991), written by Jiri Menzel and Václav Havel, and directed by Jiri Menzel, is a loose adaptation of John Gay's classic The Beggar's Opera , reinterpreted through Havel's political and aesthetic sensibilities. The world of criminal gangs, corruption, and hierarchies of power becomes a transparent allegory of a society in which morality and law have been replaced. With Havel's typical humor and ironic distance, The Beggar's Opera reveals the mechanisms of power as a farce, behind which a cruel truth about human nature and social roles shines through. The only feature film directed by Václav Havel himself is an adaptation of his play of the same name Leaving (2011). The story of a former statesman refusing to leave his official residence becomes an absurdist meditation on the end of power, the fear of oblivion, and the inability to relinquish one's role. Leaving combines political satire, philosophical reflection, and autobiographical allusions, with many critics viewing it as Havel's belated, ironic farewell to politics. Who is Vaclav Havel Václav Havel (1936–2011) was a Czech playwright, essayist, dissident and politician, one of the leading voices of resistance against the totalitarian regime in Czechoslovakia and a key figure of the "Gentle Revolution". In 1989, he was the country's first democratically elected president, and later the first president of the Czech Republic. An author of plays marked by the absurdity and moral anxiety of the time, Havel remains a symbol of the belief that "living in truth" is a form of resistance. With this special panorama, Sofia Film Festival pays tribute to a person whose wisdom still reminds us today that freedom is not a given, but a daily choice. * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU at #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

In one of the main roles we will see Breno Placido An intriguing return to the past times is offered by the authors of the new Bulgarian feature film Aurora - directors Georgi Stoev - Jacky , Nikola Boshnakov and their co-screenwriter Hristo Iliev - Charlie . In the era of the Cold War in the early 1950s, an Italian communist and journalist falls in love with the daughter of an industrialist convicted by the People's Court. The girl is forced to survive as a prostitute, under the protection of the official sculptor of the communist regime and with the looming threat of the insatiable sexual appetite of a high-ranking officer of the secret services. The paths of the characters in this plot are predetermined by the totalitarian reality of the not-so-distant past, and as the film's authors share: "Love is the most dangerous form of illegality, and in a world of farce and deception, escape is possible only through an even greater lie: the mock cruiser "Aurora" turns from a symbol of revolution into an absurd battering ram towards freedom." Georgi Stoev - Jacky and Nikola Boshnakov have been working together as directors on various projects since 2010. The specific style in which the famous trio Jacky, Johnny and Charlie have created over the years is unique and absolutely recognizable - a mixture of absurdity, humor, satire and a human perspective on reality. In one of the main roles in this love story the audience will see Brenno Placido, son of the famous and beloved Italian actor Michele Placido. Konstantina Georgieva, Koyna Ruseva and Hristo Garbov play the roles of the main characters, and the film also features the Italian legend Franco Nero. The cast also includes Ivana Keranova, Boyan Arsov, Deyan Macev, Bozhidar Manov, Kalin Arsov and others. "Aurora" is a co-production between Bulgaria (Ivan Tonev - ARS Digital) and Italy (Giuseppe Lepore - Bielle Re); cinematography is by Antoni Stoev, music is by Eliza Minari. Don't miss the premiere of "Aurora" on the program of the 30th anniversary Sofia Film Festival! * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU at #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

The premiere of the incredibly curious and all-consuming documentary MegaDoc , dedicated to the creation of one of Francis Ford Coppola's most large-scale and expensive projects, Megalopolis , had its world premiere in Venice. Its author is the two-time Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director Mike Figgis ( Leaving Las Vegas ), who was given full access to the set and in Coppola's studio and preserves for future generations the reality of the creative process of the legendary creator of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now . In Figgis' words, Coppola "seems to thrive in chaos", surrounding himself with talented actors and technicians who help him turn this chaos into cinema. The dystopian epic Megalopolis is a project in which several decades and $120 million of the Coppola family's personal funds were invested. The MegaDoc includes archival footage from the turn of the century – table rehearsals with Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, Billy Crudup, Ryan Gosling. It is a unique feeling to walk in Coppola's set and hear him, as well as a large part of the cast, in the midst of working on his mega-opus. “MegaDoc” gives us a chance to meet a unique director at his workplace, who clearly was and still is focused on his quest to control everything in the creative process. But he is also open to the unknown, loves to experiment, without being sure of the ultimate goal. In an era when Hollywood films are constructed by marketing strategies and revenue figures, Coppola’s gift is the courage with which he embraces chaos.” “The Hollywood Reporter” * * * WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

"It Was Just an Accident " – with two Oscar nominations The latest film by Iranian director Jafar Panahi , " It Was Just an Accident ", which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, has also been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the US – it has been nominated in the categories Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay . Jafar Panahi is a friend of the Sofia Film Festival and was a special guest at the festival in 2002 and 2004. In 2021, he received the Sofia Award for his contribution to the art of cinema, and in the anniversary year of the SIFF, he will be decorated with the prestigious FIPRESCI Platinum Award , presented by the International Federation of Film Critics. The France's entry in the Oscar nominations, " It Was Just an Accident " follows a man, his pregnant wife, and their daughter who are involved in a car accident, and it transforms into a series of events with important personal and social consequences. Panahi is an iconic figure of the Iranian "New Wave." His socially engaged films explore themes such as repression, social injustice, and restrictions on freedom in Iran. Despite numerous arrests and bans, he continues to make films that raise acute social and political questions. Immediately after the Iranian government issued its latest sentence against him, he dedicated several of the awards for his film to " the creators who continue to shoot in silence, without support, often risking everything they have for their belief in truth and humanity. " * * * We're WAITING for you at the #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

Haitian director Raoul Peck has an impressive filmography, dominated by works with political themes focusing on various social and historical issues concerning the struggle for independence and equality of emblematic figures from different races and continents. His family fled the dictatorship in Haiti, and Peck studied in Kinshasa (DR Congo), New York, and Orleans (France) before beginning his studies at Humboldt University in Berlin. His film "I'm Not Your Negro," dedicated to civil rights activist James Baldwin, won the People's Choice Award for Documentary Film in Toronto, two awards at the Berlinale, the BAFTA and César Awards for Documentary Film, and was nominated for an Oscar. His latest work is dedicated to the work of George Orwell and his remarkable novel " 1984 ," with a special emphasis on conclusions about political reality that are still sadly relevant today with the rise of authoritarianism in various parts of the world. " Orwell: 2+2 = 5 " was nominated for the Golden Eye Award, presented in Cannes for best documentary film. Here is what the author shares about Orwell, who inspired his new film: " His name has become an emblematic adjective – 'Orwellian' – denoting authoritarian mechanisms and changing aspects of our modern world: surveillance, censorship, political corruption, fake news, class struggles, the temptations of power, algorithms, drones, constant wars, distraction as an obvious way to underestimate and ignore repression in the modern world. His literary phrases and ideas are everywhere in new versions or in their original forms: "Big Brother," "thought police," "memory hole," "incivility," "thought crime," and so on. He is all around us. And today, in times of uncertainty, is the right moment to contrast myth with reality, in light of the clear and present danger in which 2+2 definitely equals 5. " * * * Tarik Saleh is a well-known author in the world of cinema – the premiere of his feature debut "Metropia" was part of the Venice Film Festival program in 2009, and after the first part of his Cairo Trilogy – "The Nile Hilton Incident" – won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, the sequels " Boy from Heaven " (2022, winner of the Best Screenplay award) and " Eagles of the Republic " (2025) were presented in the competition program at Cannes. In Saleh's latest work, the tradition is upheld – actor Fares Fares plays one of the leading roles, and the genre is once again a thriller, full of tension, exposing the peculiarities of society, religion, and power in the country. The plot revolves around the complex relationships between politicians and extremely popular figures – an actor and his colleagues, who are blackmailed into participating in anti-government conspiracies. Under the threat of losing everything valuable in his life, the most beloved actor in the country is forced to accept an offer that will lead to unpredictable consequences and twists in the plot. A skilled storyteller and defender of justice in his ancestors' homeland, Saleh has devoted nearly a decade to his trilogy, which exposes religious fanaticism, political machinations, and the quest for total power over the inevitable changes in society. * * * We're WAITING for you at the #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

Mira Staleva, Executive Director of Sofia Film Fest and Head of Sofia Meetings, has been re-elected as a member of the EFA Board This Saturday, the European Film Awards will be presented for the 38th time. Among the nominated films are some of the most important works of the past year, premiered at prestigious film forums around the world. The festive ceremony for the presentation of the most prestigious awards for European cinema will take place on January 17 in Berlin, organized by the European Film Academy and European Film Academy Productions. For the fifth consecutive year, the EFA board includes a representative of the Bulgarian film community – Mira Staleva , executive director of Sofia Film Festival and head of Sofia Meetings. Her re-election to the board of the European Film Academy reaffirms the international recognition of the importance and prestige of the Sofia Film Festival and Sofia Meetings by European film organizations. SIFF is the only Bulgarian film festival accredited by FIAPF, and festival director Stefan Kitanov has been among the experts advising the EFA on nominations for the European Film Awards for over 10 years. The EFA awards ceremony honors the achievements of European cinema and welcomes special guests and representatives of the European Film Academy. The Bulgarian audience can be part of the celebration by watching the ceremony LIVE on the Sofia Film Festival's website on Saturday, January 17, starting at 7:00 p.m. Liv Ullmann will be honored with an award for her outstanding achievements throughout her long creative career. The great actress will be a guest of honor at the 38th ceremony in Berlin, the capital of Germany, where the European Film Academy is based. The award for European contribution to world cinema will be presented to director Alice Rohrwacher . The event will be broadcast live on www.europeanfilmawards.eu and www.siff.bg. The European Film Academy was created on the initiative of a group of 40 of Europe's most influential filmmakers, who gathered in November 1988 for the first European Film Awards ceremony. The Academy was founded in 1989, with Ingmar Bergman as its first president. He was followed by Wim Wenders, who served as president for many years, and the current president is actress Juliette Binoche. The EFA supports and connects its 5,400 members, paying close attention to their work, promoting it and educating audiences of all ages. Detailed information about the nominations in the various categories can be found at www.europeanfilmawards.eu.

The second feature film by German screenwriter and director Mascha Schillinski , " The Sound of Falling " ( The Sound Of Falling ) received one of the most prestigious awards in May 2025 – the Jury Prize at Cannes – and was included in the shortlist for the international Oscar as Germany's nominee. The story is dedicated to four girls – Alma (from the 1910s), Erika (in the 1940s), Angelika (from the 1980s) and Lenka (in the 2020s), who spend their youth in different eras but on the same farm in northern Germany. As the house evolves and changes over more than 100 years, echoes of the past remain within its walls. Although separated in time, the girls' destinies reflect each other and reveal unexpected details that have been kept secret. * * * The award for best screenplay and the Ecumenical Jury Prize at Cannes '25 were presented to the legendary brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for their latest film, " Young Mothers ". Through an almost documentary-like narrative, the experienced Darden brothers introduce the audience to the problems and struggles of five teenage girls living in a shelter for young mothers, who hope for a better life for themselves and their babies. Here is what David Rooney writes for The Hollywood Reporter: " There is not a false note in the young actors' performances, and they all participate in genuinely touching scenes. Young Mothers is captivating even when the focus is on the daily responsibilities of parenthood – feeding, changing diapers, bathing – or when it captures the wonder and joy of a mother gazing at the tiny face of the child she has created ." Greeted with ovations in Cannes, the Dardenne brothers' new film will be a special highlight in the program of the 30th anniversary Sofia Film Fest in March. * * * We're WAITING for you at the #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

On January 6, Epiphany (Theophany), filming began on “ Cold ”, a new feature film co-produced between Bulgaria and Italy. “Cold” is the debut for director Ana Kitanova , screenwriter Iliana Kitanova, and cinematographer Angel Balakchiyiski. The screenplay is based on stories from “A Fiery Dance” (“Ogneno Horo”), an unpublished book by Bone Rusinov. “ Cold ” follows the stories of the residents of a small boarder village in the Trun region in Bulgaria. They were recorded over a period of three decades at the end of the 20th century by Daskal Yordan, the local teacher who found himself rejected by society. The collection includes stories of dancing among wolves, love and loneliness, the Bulgarian folk boogeymen or karakondjuli, and humanity. Will they survive when the snow melts and the village falls silent? The cast consists of leading actors: Ivan Barnev, Ivana Papazova, and Alexander Triffonov. Other actors include Krasimir Dokov, Alek Alexiev, Yana Titova, Ivan Savov, Dobrin Dosev, Vladimir Mihaylov, Alen Kermac, Jordan Russin, Anna Manolova, Ljubov Ljubcheva, Andrian Petrov and Jordan Bikov. Special appearences make Georgi Todorov-Jozi, Kiriakos Argiropoulos and the folk singer Lilly Galevska. The musical score is to be composed by Stefan Valdobrev, and the production designer is Ivelina Mineva. The consultant on the authentic Tran dialect, in which the film is shot, is Zhana Solarova. The production manager is Rosen Ignatov. The film is a coproduction of RFF International, Bulgaria (Stefan Kitanov), and Pilgrim, Italy (Andrea Magnani and Chiara Barbo). “ Cold ” is made with the support of the National Film Centre (Bulgaria), the Ministry of Culture and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Fund (Italy), as well as the Creative Europe MEDIA programme of the European Union, in partnership with Dolly Media Studio and Magic Shop (Bulgaria). Filming will continue until mid-February in the picturesque villages in the Smolyan and Rudozem areas, as well as in the vicinity of Sofia.

Panahi's talent as a master of fascinating stories has long been recognized in the world of cinema - the director has in his collection the Venice's "Golden Lion" (for "Circles", 2000), the Berlin's "Golden Bear" (for "Taxi", 2015) and the "Golden Palm" for his latest film " It Was Just an Accident ", which big screen premiere in Bulgaria will be in the 30th anniversary Sofia Film Festival's programme. The latest film by the renowned Iranian director has been included as France's entry in the shortlist for the Oscar nominations for Best International Film. Among the Golden Globe nominations, " It Was Just an Accident " competes in four categories - for best picture, director, screenplay and film in a non-English language. The prestigious prize received by Panahi from Cate Blanchett and jury president Juliette Binoche in Cannes marks a new stage in his work, after all the hardships, restrictions, censorship and years of imprisonment in his native country Iran. " It Was Just an Accident " is Jafar Panahi 's first film since his release from prison and follows a man, his pregnant wife and their daughter who had a car crash, and this accident transforms into a series of events with important personal and societal consequences. True to his approach to film narratives, Panahi uses a deceptively simple plot twist and gradually delves into complex moral cases, critiques of social order, and the fragility of humanity and existence. Panahi is a key figure in the Iranian New Wave. His socially engaged films explore themes such as repression, social injustice and restrictions on freedom in Iran. His feature debut "The White Balloon" (1995) won the Camera d'Or at Cannes, the first major recognition for Iranian cinema at that festival. Despite his numerous arrests and bans, he continues to create films that pose sharp social and political issues. In the immediate aftermath of the latest sentence against him by the Iranian government, he dedicated several of his film's awards to " the creators who continue to shoot in silence, without support, often risking everything they have for their belief in truth and humanity ." Jafar Panahi is among the best friends of Sofia Film Festival, having been a special guest at the 2002 and 2004 editions, and in 2021 he was awarded with the Sofia Award for his contribution to the art of cinema. * * * We're WAITING for you at the #CINEMA! #30SofiaIFF

The Sofia Award for outstanding contribution in cinema is a joint initiative of Sofia Municipality and Sofia International Film Festival . The award was first handed out in 2005 by the Mayor of Sofia under whose patronage the festival takes place. Since then, 72 individuals from Bulgarian and international cinema were honored with the prestigious award. Peter Greenaway , director (UK) Rangel Valchanov , director (Bulgaria) Volker Schlondorf , director (Germany) Terry Jones , director (UK) Sir Alan Parker , director (UK) Nikolay Volev , director (Bulgaria) Vanessa Redgrave , actress (UK) Theo Angelopoulos , director (Greece) Lyudmil Staykov , director (Bulgaria) Wim Wenders , director (Germany) Jiří Menzel , director (Czech Republic) Vladislav Ikonomov , director (Bulgaria) Nikita Mikhalkov , director/actor/scriptwriter (Russia) Milcho Leviev , composer (Bulgaria, USA) Jean-Claude Carrière , scriptwriter (France) Miki Manojlvic , actor (Serbia) Nikola Korabov , director (Bulgaria) Michael Palin , actor, scriptwriter and TV presenter (UK) Bozhidar Petkov , composer (Bulgaria) Giuliano Montaldo , director (Italy) Tony Palmer , director (UK) Jan Troell , director (Sweden) Sergei Solovyov , director (Russia) Otar Iossealiani , director (Georgia, France) Rousy Chanev , actor, screenwriter (Bulgaria) Claudia Cardinale , actress (Italy) Claude Lelouch , director (France) Nuri Bilge Ceylan , director (Turkey) Gueorgui Stoyanov , director (Bulgaria) Danis Tanović , director (Bosna and Herzegovina) Hugh Hudson , director (UK) Itzhak Finzi , actor (Bulgaria) Costa Gavras , director (France) Paolo and Vittorio Taviani , directors (Italy) Jos Stelling , director (Netherlands) Dusan Hanak , director (Slovakia) Prof. Georgi Djulgerov , director (Bulgaria) Goran Paskaljevic , director (UK) Ivan Ivanov , actor (Bulgaria) Franco Nero , actor (Italy) In Memoriam KARL ‘BAUMI’ BAUMGARTNER Nana Djordjadze , director (Georgia) Ted Kotcheff , director (Canada, Bulgaria) Georgi Stoev - Jecky, director (Bulgaria) Georgi Penkov - Johny, sound engineer (Bulgaria) Hristo Iliev - Charli, screenwriter (Bulgaria) Bela Tarr , director (Hungary) Terry Gilliam , director (USA, Great Britain) Stoyanka Mutafova , actress (Bulgaria) John Savage , actor (USA) Agnieszka Holland , director (Полша) Adela Peeva , director (Bulgaria) Vasil Mihaylov , actor (Bulgaria) Abel Ferrara , director (USA) Roman Balayan , director (Ukraine) Krzysztof Zanussi , director (Poland) Bille August , director (Denmark) Kiril Marichkov , musician and composer (Bulgaria) Anri Koulev , animator and director (Bulgaria) Theodosii Spassov , musician and composer (Bulgaria) Mika Kaurismäki , director (Finland) Jafar Panahi , director (Iran) Angel Wagenstein , screenwriter and writer (Bulgaria) Iglika Trifonova , director (Bulgaria) Radoslav Spassov , cinematographer, director, writer, producer (Bulgaria) Geraldine Chaplin , actress (USA) Margarethe von Trotta , director and actress (Germany) Georgi Todorov-Jozi , artist (Bulgaria) Tzvetana Maneva , actress (Bulgaria) Iossif Sarchadzhiev , director and actor (Bulgaria) Rajko Grlić , director (Croatia)