site.bta16th Bulgarian Film Festival to Kick Off in Prague on Thursday

The 16th Bulgarian Film Festival will kick off on March 14 at the Lucerna cinema located at the cultural centre of the same name in downtown Prague, the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Czechia’s capital told BTA.

Running until March 17, the Festival will present five Bulgarian films that have "been praised at film festivals and are popular among the Bulgarian audience".

"We try to introduce the Czech audience to the trends in contemporary Bulgarian cinema every spring," the Institute’s Director, Volodia Gotsev, said as he presented the Festival’s programme.

The Festival will open with Blaga’s Lessons, directed by Stefan Komandarev, at 6:30 p.m. After the screening, the audience will have the opportunity to meet and greet actress Eli Skorcheva, who stars in the Crystal Globe-winning film.

On March 15, the Festival’s programme includes a screening of the film The Good Driver directed by Tonislav Hristov, at 6:30 p.m., and a meet-and-greet with leading actor Malin Krastev.

Two film screenings are scheduled for March 16. The comedy The Tesla Case, directed by Andrey Hadjivasilev, will be presented at 4 p.m., followed by Vasil, directed by Avelina Prat, at 6:30 p.m.

The film Scent of Linden, which tells the story of Bulgarian immigrants in Memphis, will officially close the 16th Bulgarian Film Festival at 7:30 p.m. on March 17. Actor Ivan Barnev will be a special guest on the last day of the event. He will present the film and meet the audience after the screening.

The Bulgarian Film Festival is organized by the Bulgarian Embassy in Czechia and the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Prague. It is held under the auspices of the Culture Ministers of Bulgaria and Czechia, Krastyu Krastev and Martin Baxa.

The Festival’s main aim is to introduce the Czech audience to contemporary Bulgarian cinema, focusing on films that have been successfully received at European and world film festivals.