22-05-2023

The Art of Falling Receives Best Film Award at Vasil Gendov Awards

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    SOFIA: The Art of Falling by Оrlin Milchev received the Best Feature Film Award at the closing ceremony of the second edition of the National Film Festival “Vasil Gendov” - Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers Awards.

    No Place for You in Our Town by Nikolay Stefanov received the Best Documentary Film Award.

    In all, 15 feature films, 20 documentaries, 15 short films, 15 animated films and three minority coproductions were submitted.

    The festival aims to continue the tradition of the annual awards for film art of the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers, which began in 1975.

    The National Film Festival “Vasil Gendov” - Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers Awards is organised by the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers with the support of the Bulgarian National Film Center.

    The awards ceremony was held at the Sofia Opera and Ballet on 16 Маy 2023.

    FULL LIST OF AWARDS:

    FICTION FILMS:

    Best Feature Film:
    The Art of Falling (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Orlin Milchev
    Produced by Geopoli
    Coproduced by Doli Media Studio
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

    Best Director:
    Ivan Pavlov for Spring Equinox (Bulgaria)
    Produced by Art 47 Ltd
    Coproduced by Red Carpet Films, Dolly Media Studio, Magic Shop
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

    Best Screenplay:
    Zornitsa Sophia, Miglena Dimova for Mother (Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia)
    Directed by Zornitsa Sophia
    Produced by Mountain Queen Pictures
    Coproduced by Ostlicht Filmproduktion, Focus Media, Nu Boyana Films
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, MDM Fund, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre

    Best Cinematography:
    Kiril Prodanov for Darkling (Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy)
    Directed by Dusan Milic
    Produced by Film Deluxe International
    Coproduced by This and That Productions, Firefly Productions, Space Rocket Nation, A_Lab s.r.l., RFF International, GRAAL Films
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, Film Center Serbia (fcs.rs), the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, EURIMAGES, the Danish Film Institute, FVG Audiovisual Fund, Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Fund, the Greek Film Center, ERT, MEDIA Creative Europe, DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation)

    Best Debut Film:
    The Good Driver (Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden)
    Directed by Tonislav Hristov
    Produced by Making Movies Oy
    Coproduced by Soul Food, Cinenic, Film i Väst
    Supported by the Finnish Film Foundation (SES), YLE1, the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Bulgarian National Television

    Special Mention for Debut Film:
    Giri (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Petia Iosifova
    Produced by Ars Ltd
    Coproduced by Zographic films
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr

    Best Actor in a Leading Role:
    Malin Krastev in The Good Driver (Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden)

    Best Leading Actress:
    Svetlana Yancheva in Spring Equinox (Bulgaria)

    Best Supporting Actor:
    Gerasim Georgiev in The Good Driver (Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden)

    Best Supporting Actress:
    Daria Dimitrova in Mother (Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia)

    Best Editing:
    Veselka Kiryakova for Spring Equinox (Bulgaria)

    Best Original Music:
    Ace Vaptsarov for Yellow Oleander (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Latchezar Avramov
    Produced by Premier Studio
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr

    Best Sound:
    Alexander Simeonov, Olivier Calvert for Phi 618 (Bulgaria, Canada)
    Directed by Theodore Ushev
    Produced by Moviemento, Peripeteia
    Coproduced by Bravo Charlie
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr

    Best Production Design:
    Sabina Hristova for Phi 618 (Bulgaria, Canada)

    Best Costume Design:
    Velika Prahova for Phi 618 (Bulgaria, Canada)

    Best Short Film:
    Happy New Year (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Antonia Milchevа

    DOCUMENTARIES:

    Best Documentary:
    No Place for You in Our Town (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Nikolay Stefanov
    Produced by Smarty Pants Shooter
    Coproduced by HBO MAX

    Special Jury Award:
    Voev (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Bilyana Kirilova
    Produced by MatchPoint Productions
    Supported by the Ministry of Culture - Republic Bulgaria, the Sofia Municipality

    Best Debut Film:
    Morality is Goodness (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Veselin Dimanov
    Produced by Afflatus Ltd

    Best Director:
    Nikolay Stefanov for No Place for You in Our Town (Bulgaria)

    Best Screenplay:
    Bilyana Kirilova, Neda Milanova for Voev (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Bilyana Kirilova
    Produced by MatchPoint Productions
    Supported by the Ministry of Culture - Republic Bulgaria, the Sofia Municipality

    Best Cinematography:
    Georgi Bogdanov, Boris Missirkov for The Cars We Drove Into Capitalism (Bulgaria, Germany, Czech Republic, Denmark, Croatia)
    Directed by Georgi Bogdanov, Boris Missirkov
    Produced by Agitprop
    Coproduced by Saxonia Entertainment, Danish Documentary Production, Hulahop, Endorfilm, MDR in cooperation with ARTE
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr, MEDIA Creative Europe, the Danish Film Institute, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the Czech Film Fund, in association with DR, YLE

    Best Editing:
    Stoian Velinov for No Place for You in Our Town

    Best Original Music:
    Nikola Gruev-Kotarashki for Theodore Ushev: Unseen Connections (Bulgaria, Canada)
    Directed by Borislav Kolev
    Produced by Projector
    Coproduced by the National Film Board of Canada, Cineflo
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr, the Sofia Municipality, the Bulgarian National Television

    Best Sound:
    Mariana Valkanova, Svilen Boianov, Georgi Tsvetkov for Major Thompson - (Un)necessary Hero (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Jezko Davidoff
    Produced by Magic Shop
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr

    ANIMATED FILMS:

    Best Animated Film:
    Meko Kazano (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Anri Kulev
    Produced by Kancelaria Film
    Coproduced by Doli Media Studio
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr, the Bulgarian National Television

    Special Jury Award:
    Trace by Asparuh Petrov (Bulgaria)
    Produced by Compote Collective
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr

    Best Screenplay:
    Valeri Petrov for Meko Kazano (Bulgaria)

    Best Director:
    Sotir Gelev for Florentine Night (Bulgaria)
    Produced by Four Hands Animation Studio
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr

    Best Animation:
    Spartak Jordanov, Vesela Iotsova for Depersonalization (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Spartak Jordanov
    Produced by Screening Emotions
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr

    Best Art Director:
    Dimitar Dimitrov - Animiter for The Artist (Bulgaria)
    Produced by  Мetamorphoza N Ltd
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr

    Best Original Music:
    Rumen Boiadjiev for Florentine Night (Bulgaria)

    Best Sound:
    Blagomir Alexiev for Witchfairy (Belgium, Bulgaria)
    Directed by Cedric Igodt, David Van de Weyer
    Produced by CineVenture LTD
    Coproduced by Zorgaphic Films
    Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr

    Best Debut Film:
    Okeania (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Stephan Voivodov

    FILM CRITICISM:

    Award for Best Book or Theoretical Text:
    Peter Kardjilov, Irina Kitova, Zornitsa Krasteva for Chronicle of the Silent Cinema in Sofia (1896 – 1933) (Sofia G8 Cultural Center, 2022)

    Award for Film Criticism:
    Prof. Ingeborg Bratoeva-Darakchieva

    SPECIAL AWARDS:

    Lifetime Achievement Award:
    Prof. Georgi Dulgerov

    Special Award for Contribution to Bulgarian Film Criticism:
    Prof. Vera Naydenova