Celebrate the 15th jubilee of the Bulgarian Film Festival in mid-March. This year the festival applauds its audience for their support over the past 14 years, allowing over 90 contemporary films to be screened and over 60 Bulgarian film crew members to visit Prague. Spread the positive energy of applause with us.
From Mar 16-19, 2023, witness the best Bulgarian films of the year at Lucerna cinema with English and Czech subtitles in both large and small screening rooms. In its 15th year, the festival enters the symbolic threshold of adulthood, characterized by rebellious efforts to assert individuality. Rebellion is the unifying theme among all this year’s featured films. The festival opens on Mar 16 with ESCAPE – a film directed by Viktor Bojinov – following a group of young open-minded people trying to revive an abandoned village, but facing opposition from a drug rehab worker.
On Friday several inmates discover something unexpected in IN THE HEART OF THE MACHINE. Criminals serving long sentences challenge themselves to save innocent live and regain their humanity. Director Martin Makariev explores the question of humanity in inhumane conditions in this Bulgarian prison film set at the end of the 1970s. The film was the Bulgarian nomination for the 95th Academy Awards.
On Saturday join actress Rayna Karayaneva and colleague Bashar Rahal as they present the sequel to REUNION 2. A series of humorous events involving a group of young people navigating minor and major life choices will take us behind the scenes of the film’s production.
On Sunday, immerse yourself in PETYA OF MY PETYA. Director Alexandar Kosev artfully blends two storylines, one following a 17-year-old girl Petya who meets her idol, the late poetess Petya Dubarova who forty years ago took her own life at the age of 17. The tale of the value of standing up for what’s right is woven poetically with the verses of a Bulgarian poet.
You can view the exhibition of photographs of the STARS OF BULGARIAN CINEMA in the Lucerna passage and cafe throughout the festival. The exhibit displays portraits of Bulgarian actors captured on negatives from the Bulgarian Film Library’s archive, shot by top Bulgarian photographers such as Lote Michajlova and Jeni Valova.
Expect an enjoyable time from films and personal interactions with directors and actors. Czech viewers can still connect with film crews unable to attend through recorded messages. Stay updated on Facebook and Instagram.
Get the full festival schedule, film descriptions, and previews on our webpage.
The Bulgarian Film Festival is presented by the Embassy of Bulgaria in the Czech Republic and the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Prague with support from the Bulgarian National Film Center and National Film Library.