Every year Europa Cinemas awards three Prizes to the Best Exhibitors of the Network and this year the Europa Cinemas Award for Entrepreneur of the Year has been awarded to Stefan Kitanov. In the official letter signed by the President of Europa Cinemas – Ian Christie and the Director General Claude-Eric Poiroux it is said that: “The award has been awarded to Mr. Kitanov in recognition of his successful work as exhibitor of Dom na Kinoto, whose annual admissions have doubled ...

Sofia International Film Festival (Sofia IFF) is aimed to promote significant and innovative works in the contemporary world cinema for local audience and regional (Bulgarian and Balkan) cinema to international audience, as well as to encourage the cooperation between local and international filmmakers. The 17th Sofia IFF will be held from 7 to 17 March 2013 (main programme) with an additional week (18-24 March). Sofia IFF is organized by Art Fest Ltd. in association with RFF International....

Ena Dozo from Sarajevo Film Festival, Mira Staleva from Sofia International Film Festival, Andrei Agudaru from Romanian Film Promotion, Cristian Hordila from the International Film Festival in Cluj and Tillman Scheel from Reelport presented the project "Operation Kino" (OK). OK is an initiative of the international film festivals in Sofia  (Sofia Film Festival), Sarajevo (Sarajevo Film Festival), Cluj (Transilvania International Film Festival) and Istanbul (International Ista...

The official programme of the 16th Sofia International Film Festival will end tonight with the gala screening of Borislav Kolev's documentary debut Stoichkov. The festival presented a total of 260 films from 52 countries from all over the world. Over 300 international guests came to Sofia, amongst them were directors, producers, festival directors as well as media and film experts. The Award Ceremony took place on the 17th of March in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Cu...

This year Sofia International Film Festival has a Young Jury as well. We have invited the film fans of 25 years of age and younger who reside in Sofia and are willing to dedicate March to watching films, to apply for the Young Jury. We were expecting to receive 3 reviews, consisting of 3 senteces for the last 3 films they have watched.   Based on the applications we have received we have chosen the following young people: Filip Morozov, Kostadin Mavrodiev, Iv-Kristiаn Angel...

Undoubtedly one of the most distinctive and original directors in Slovenian cinema, Jan Cvitković, is an old friend of SIFF. Among the many international festival awards that his films Bread and Milk and Gravehopping gatnered, is No Man’s Land in the Balkan competition at the SIFF. This year Jan Cvitković comes to the festival as a mem¬ber of the International Jury as well as with his new movie Archeo. Archeo (produced by Jozko Rutar, who also arrives for the 16th edition o...

After 15 successful editions of the Sofia International Film Festival, what more can surprise the viewers and loyal moviegoers? Stefan Kitanov: Contrary to the economic stagnation, we remain true to ourselves –over-ambitious and responsible in the selection of movie titles and guests. The viewers will be surprised by the huge choice of quality films and numerous guests of the festival, including “Oscar” winners and the most prestigious film awards. There is no turning bac...

SFF is organized by Art Fest under the patronage of the Sofia Municipality, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, the National Film Centre and National Palace of Culture, with the support of the programs MEDIA and MEDIA Mundus of the European Commission, UNESCO – Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, national and foreign cultural institutes and sponsors. The main sponsor of the 16th edition of the festival is Jameson Irish Whiskey. The 16th Sofia Intern...

Dragomir Sholev– Have you already seen any of the competitive films and what can you say about them? Thank you for that question. I feel great. I’m very careful not to catch the flu. – It is not your first participation in the competition programme of the Sofia International Film Festival – you have previously won awards for your short films. What has changed in the Festival since you won the Jameson Short Film Award for Before Life, After Death? I am very proud that ...

Dunja Klemenc Some Other Stories is a co-production between Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Ireland. Each of the five segments in the film has been shot by a team from one of the ex Yugoslavia countries. The common theme is that of motherhood and all the five stories place their protagonist in extreme situations where they ask themselves what does it take to be a mother, to give life… especially in a world that is far from hospitable. The stories, the a...

Yves MarmionYves Marmion is one of the leading European producers with titles such as Arizona Dream, The Apartment, I Loved You for So Long, among others in his biography. He is also the Chairman of the European Film Academy (EFA) and as such he came to Sofia during the 15th edition of Sofia International Film Festival along with his colleagues from the EFA’s managing board for one of their working meetings.   - Could you tell me how did your session go today? Are you able to di...

This year at SIFF 2011, the 8th annual Sofia Meetings took place where the first, second and third film by new filmmakers pitched their film ideas to producers and film funds to find co-production possibilities within other European countries. As part of the Sofia International Film Festival, this even is supported by MEDIA PROGRAMME of the European Film Commission.  The pitches included two sections   1) Second Films Pitching- filmmakers presenting their first, s...

    Sofia, Bulgaria hosts its 15th International Film Festival this year on the dates 4-13th March 2011. One of the most important film festivals on the festival map, it features not only top international films but Eastern European and Bulgarian national cinema as well. Various industry professionals from the international cinema world will attend to support and/or present their films in competition at the festival.  The SIFF 2011 festival officially opened o...