Sofia Meetings Coproduction Market 2020 Announces Awards
SOFIA: The Sofia Meetings Coproduction Market, which this year took place online 3-8 July 2020 and consisted of 37 projects for first, second and third films, unveiled its winners. Six…
FNE at Sofia IFF 2020: Bulgarian Sister Wins Grand Prix of Sofia IFF Summer Edition
SOFIA: Svetla Tsotsorkova’s second feature Sister (Omega Films / Doha Film Institute) won the Grand Prix in the international competition of the 24th Sofia IFF, which was split into a…
GRANTS: Bulgaria Announces First Production Grants for 2020
SOFIA: The Bulgarian National Film Center decided to allot 1,987,397 EUR / 3,877,000 BGN at its first session for Bulgarian feature films in 2020. Nine films, including two with higher…
Sofia Meetings Coproduction Market Restarts Online
SOFIA: The Coproduction Market which takes place within the 17th edition of the Sofia Meetings, postponed from its initial dates (18-22 March 2020) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is restarting…
PRODUCTION: Bulgarian Director Dimitar Kutmanov In Postproduction with Lament for the Silent Fool
SOFIA: The director/writer Dimitar Kutmanov is in postproduction with his feature debut Lament for the Silent Fool. The film was screened during the 17th Sofia Meetings Works in Progress, held…
PRODUCTION: Bulgarian Director Victor Bojinov Preps Chamla
SOFIA: Victor Bojinov is preparing his second feature Chamla (aka Kingdom Chamla). The film was to start shooting on 27 April 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the director…
FESTIVALS: Sofia Film Festival 2020 Announces Restart
SOFIA: The 24th Sofia International Film Fest, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic three days before its official opening on 12 March, will restart earlier than initially announced.…
PRODUCTION: Bulgarian Director Ivaylo Penchev in Postproduction With Last Call
SOFIA: The Bulgarian director/producer Ivaylo Penchev is in the final postproduction stage of his comedy Last Call. The film was screened during the 17th Sofia Meetings’Works in Progress, held online…
France’s Memento Films Picks up Kamen Kalev’s February
SOFIA: Memento Film International has picked up Kamen Kalev’s fourth feature February, one of the 56 titles from the Cannes 2020 Official selection. The French/Bulgarian coproduction between Koro Films and…
PRODUCTION: Bulgarian Director Ivailo Hristov In Postproduction with Fear
SOFIA: Bulgarian actor/director/writer Ivailo Hristov is completing the postproduction of his newest black and white feature Fear. The film screened during the 17th Sofia Meetings’ Works in Progress held online…
Sofia Meetings Works in Progress Goes Online
SOFIA: The 17th Sofia Meetings’ Works in Progress will be held online 27 – 31 May 2020.
Nu Boyana Film Studios to Restart Production in Bulgaria
SOFIA: Nu Boyana Film Studios are restarting production work after a break of nearly two months due to the COVID pandemic. Bulgaria lifted most of its confinement restrictions on 13…
FNE Podcast: Bulgarian Producer Pavlina Jeleva
SOFIA: Bulgarian producer and FNE correspondent Pavlina Jeleva shares her experiences when the COVID crisis forced her to go online as a producer. She tells us about her participation in…
Bulgaria Releases More Funds for Culture and Reopens Cinemas
SOFIA: Bulgaria’s government has announced its decision to strengthen the independent cultural sector by supporting its needs with nearly 2.5 m EUR. The eagerly awaited financial measures were announced by…
FNE Podcast: Film Festivals in Crisis: Sofia IFF Director Stefan Kitanov
The COVID crisis has thrown film festivals all over Europe into crisis. In the series of podcasts FNE asks festival directors to share with us how they are coping with…
Bulgaria Announces Financial Support for Culture
SOFIA: Bulgaria’s Minister of Culture Boil Banov announced on 10 April 2020 a package of emergency financial measures aimed at the cultural sector. The beneficiaries of the aid include both…
Film Industry in Crisis as Bulgaria Extends State of Emergency
SOFIA: The Bulgarian Parliament voted on 3 April 2020 to extend by one month the State of Emergency declared on 13 March over the coronavirus pandemic. All cultural and entertainment…
Bulgaria Declares State of Emergency as Financial Losses for Cinemas Mount
SOFIA: Bulgaria’s government has declared a “one month state of emergency on the territory of the whole country”. It was immediately and unanimously voted by the country’s Parliament on 13…
Bulgaria Eases Restrictions on Cinemas After Protests and Sofia FF Announces New Dates
SOFIA: Restrictions imposed on Bulgarian cinemas have been eased following protests by Bulgarian Association of Cinemas. The authorities have decided to amend the initial “prohibition of cultural and public events…
FESTIVALS: Sofia Film Fest Postpones 2020 Edition
SOFIA: Following an order of Bulgaria’s Minister of Health related to the registered cases of COVID-19, the director of the Sofia Film Festival Stefan Kitanov announced that the 24th edition…