Between the 11th and 18th of April 2019, the 11th annual Bulgarian Film Festival will excite cinemagoers with films that were screened in prestigious festivals around the world; some of them were awarded many prizes. This film festival is always an event to look forward to. It is the only event that brings Czech audiences the latest achievements of Bulgarian cinematography.
Seven dramas, a comedy, and two family movies
This year’s festival will please lovers of Bulgarian cinematography with ten films: seven are dramas, one is a comedy, and two are family movies. The screenings will take place at Lucerna Cinema and Pilotů Cinema. On Thursday the 11th of April, the festival will kick off in Lucerna Cinema with the drama ‘Directions’. The film narrates the stories of different people, whose fates are irrevocably connected over the course of 24 hours in six taxis in Sofia. It is the second last film by the renowned Bulgarian director, Stephan Komandarev, who has received many awards for his documentaries and fictional films. ‘Directions’ itself has received more than 15 awards at international festivals. The film premiered in 2017, and it was nominated in Cannes the same year.
A film about the apocalypse
On Friday the 12th of April, audiences will watch the film ‘8'19’. This film consists of six short films with the common theme of the apocalypse. They are based on short stories from the books ‘And Other Stories’ and ‘And All Turned Moon’ by one of the most popular and most translated contemporary Bulgarian authors, Georgi Gospodinov. The film is named after one of the stories ‘8’9’, which is the time that it takes for light to travel from the Sun to the Earth. So, if the sun dies out someday, we will have exactly 8 minutes and 19 seconds of life ahead…
Treasure hunt using a magic smartphone
Another film worth mentioning is the family film ‘The Runaway Smartphone’. The plot begins with three teenagers who are trying to save a sick child. Using a magic smartphone, they go back in time to hunt for treasure... The film won an award for the Best Family/Faith Film at West Coast International Film Festival 2018.
Apart from the great films, festival goers can also look forward to interesting meetings with directors or actors.