Festival poster image

Sofia International Film Festival

Sofia, Bulgaria, Europe

11 - 21 Mar, 2021

FIAPF

Keywords

fiction, debut, Documentary, action, FIAPF-accredited, new Bulgarian feature

Category

Feature, Short

Genre

Documentary, Romance, Action, Drama, Adult, Crime, Experimental, Fantasy, Historical/Epic, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Western, Live-Action

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Sofia International Film Festival logo
Sofia International Film Festival

Sofia, Bulgaria, Europe

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General Information

founded

1972

edition

25th

Venue

Dom na kinoto ul. "Ekzarh Yosif" 37, Sofia, Bulgaria 1000 Show me on the map

About the festival

Sofia International Film Festival (Sofia IFF) is the biggest competitive film festival in Bulgaria, accredited by FIAPF and announced by Variety as one of the top 50 unmissable film events in the world.

The festival not only presents new Bulgarian and Balkan films to an international audience, but also introduces more and more international films from the festival circuit to the local audience. The festival's importance is growing as constantly new activities are being developed on an international level.

Awards

  • Sofia City of Film Grand Prix for Best Film in the International Competition (goes to the director and producer of the film);
  • Special Jury Award for film in the International Competition (goes to the director of the film);
  • Award for Best Director (goes to the director of the film);
  • Jameson Short Film Award for Best Bulgarian Short Film (goes to the director of the film);
  • the Award for Best Balkan Film (goes to the director of the film).
  • Best Bulgarian Film Jury of three members of representatives of international film festivals will decide the Award for Best Bulgarian Feature Film.
  • International Documentary Jury of three members will decide the Award for Best Documentary Film.
  • FIPRESCI will appoint a jury of 3 members to decide the award for a film, selected from a special list of films published in the festival catalogue and on the festival website (goes to the director of the film).
  • Audience award
  • Young Jury award

Mission

The festival aims to present the best of the contemporary cinema to local audiences and regional Bulgarian and Balkan cinema to international audiences, as well as to encourage cooperation between local and international filmmakers.

About

Sofia International Film Festival (Sofia IFF) is the biggest competitive film festival in Bulgaria, accredited by FIAPF and announced by Variety as one of the top 50 unmissable film events in the world.

The festival not only presents new Bulgarian and Balkan films to an international audience, but also introduces more and more international films from the festival circuit to the local audience. The festival's importance is growing as constantly new activities are being developed on an international level.

Awards

  • Sofia City of Film Grand Prix for Best Film in the International Competition (goes to the director and producer of the film);
  • Special Jury Award for film in the International Competition (goes to the director of the film);
  • Award for Best Director (goes to the director of the film);
  • Jameson Short Film Award for Best Bulgarian Short Film (goes to the director of the film);
  • the Award for Best Balkan Film (goes to the director of the film).
  • Best Bulgarian Film Jury of three members of representatives of international film festivals will decide the Award for Best Bulgarian Feature Film.
  • International Documentary Jury of three members will decide the Award for Best Documentary Film.
  • FIPRESCI will appoint a jury of 3 members to decide the award for a film, selected from a special list of films published in the festival catalogue and on the festival website (goes to the director of the film).
  • Audience award
  • Young Jury award
Mission

The festival aims to present the best of the contemporary cinema to local audiences and regional Bulgarian and Balkan cinema to international audiences, as well as to encourage cooperation between local and international filmmakers.

Gallery

Festival gallery image 0
Festival gallery image 1

Awards & Winners

2020

SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Winner)

Nocturnal (2019)  Director(s): Nathalie Biancheri

AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR (Winner)

CLEO (2019)  Director(s): Eva Cools

SPECIAL MENTION for best screenplay (Winner)

Yalda, a Night for Forgivness (2019)  Director(s): Massoud Bakhshi

SPECIAL MENTION for best production design (Winner)

Those Who Remained (2019)  Director(s): Barnabás Tóth

THE BEST BULGARIAN SHORT FILM AWARD (Winner)

Nina (2019) Director(s): Hristo Simeonov

BEST BALKAN FILM AWARD (Winner)

A Tale of Three Sisters (2019)  Director(s): Emin Alper

SPECIAL MENTION (Winner)

Stitches (2019)  Director(s): Miroslav Terzic

AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY (Winner)

The Cave (2019)  Director(s): Feras Fayyad

SPECIAL MENTION (Winner)

Collective (2019)  Director(s): Alexander Nanau

THE AWARD FOR BEST BULGARIAN FEATURE FILM (Winner)

Cat in the Wall (2019)  Director(s): Mina Mileva Vesela Kazakova

THE FIPRESCI AWARD (Winner)

Those Who Remained (2019)  Director(s): Barnabás Tóth

THE AWARD OF THE BULGARIAN GUILD OF FILM CRITICS (Winner)

God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunya (2019)  Director(s): Teona Strugar Mitevska

2019

Balkan Competition (Winner)

The Load (2018)  Director(s): Ognjen Glavonic

Best Bulgarian Short Film Competition (Nominated)

içerdekiler (2018)  Director(s): Hüseyin Karabey

Feature fiction films and documentaries (Winner)

A Picture with Yuki (2019)  Director(s): Lachezar Avramov

Terms and rules

  • International Competition – first or second feature fiction films of the directors, produced after January 1st 2020, worldwide.
  • Balkan Competition – regional feature fiction films are eligible for the section (Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey), produced after January 1st 2020.
  • International Documentary Competition – feature documentaries, worldwide, produced after 1st January 2020.
  • Jameson Short Film Award for Best Bulgarian Short Film – Bulgarian short films produced after January 1st 2020 with length no longer than 30 minutes.
  • Non-competitive programme: Feature fiction films and documentaries from all over the world produced after January 1st 2019.

NB! Short films are no longer accepted by the festival! The international short programme is by invitations only!

Documents and Other Requisite Items

  • Fill out entry form;
  • Provide the film on the DVD Pal with English subtitles or secured online screener.

Sofia IFF will cover all costs connected with the transportation of prints of the films selected for the International Competition to Sofia and back to the address given by the producer (airport) in case the film does not have another destination. Sofia IFF will cover one way of the costs connected with the transportation of the film prints of the other Festival programmes. Sofia IFF will cover all the expenses connected with the storage and insurance of the films during the Festival.

Audio language: original
Subtitles language: English

Screening Media Type: DCP; Blu-ray and HD file on exceptional occasions 

Premiere Requirements

No premiere requirement

Jury and Organizers

Director — Mr. Stefan Kitanov

Web & Social

Festival website

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Social media

    -

Ratings & Reviews

Categories and fees

Balkan Competition
Entry fees
Regular (1st December, 2020) €0
Age restriction No age restriction
Country Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia (Hrvatska), Cyprus, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey
Director's age No restriction
Director's gender Any gender
Student films No
First films No
Description

Regional feature fiction films are eligible for the section (Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey). Film Formats • For selection purposes: secured online screener (valid at least three months after the submission deadline). • Accepted screening formats for the selected films: DCP; Blu-ray and HD file on exceptional occasions. • Screeners of the selected films for translation should be sent to the festival until February 1st. The screening formats should reach the Festival before February 21st, 2021.

Best Bulgarian Short Film Competition
Entry fees
Regular (15th December, 2020) €0
Runtime - 30 minutes
Age restriction No age restriction
Country Bulgaria
Director's age No restriction
Director's gender Any gender
Student films No
First films No
Description

Bulgarian short films produced after January 1st 2020 with length no longer than 30 minutes.

Feature fiction films and documentaries
Entry fees
Regular (15th November, 2020) €35
Age restriction No age restriction
Country Any country
Director's age No restriction
Director's gender Any gender
Student films No
First films No
Description

From all over the world produced after January 1st 2020.

International Competition
Entry fees
Regular (15th November, 2020) €35
Age restriction No age restriction
Country Any country
Director's age No restriction
Director's gender Any gender
Student films No
First films Only first films
Description

First or second feature fiction films of the directors, produced after January 1st 2020, worldwide. Film Formats • For selection purposes: secured online screener (valid at least three months after the submission deadline). • Accepted screening formats for the selected films: DCP; Blu-ray and HD file on exceptional occasions. • Screeners of the selected films for translation should be sent to the festival until February 1st. The screening formats should reach the Festival before February 21st, 2021.

International Documentary Competition
Entry fees
Regular (15th November, 2020) €35
Runtime 60 - minutes
Age restriction No age restriction
Country Any country
Director's age No restriction
Director's gender Any gender
Student films No
First films No
Description

Feature documentaries over 60’, worldwide, produced after January 1st 2020. Film Formats • For selection purposes: secured online screener (valid at least three months after the submission deadline). • Accepted screening formats for the selected films: DCP; Blu-ray and HD file on exceptional occasions. • Screeners of the selected films for translation should be sent to the festival until February 1st. The screening formats should reach the Festival before February 21st, 2021.

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