site.bta"Vasil" Starring Bulgarian Actor Ivan Barnev Wins Three Awards at 24th Festival del Cinema Europeo

Avelina Prat’s film Vasil starring Bulgarian actor Ivan Barnev received three awards at the 24th Festival del Cinema Europeo in Lecce, Italy, Sofia Film Fest said on Monday. The Spanish-Bulgarian co-production took the Audience Award and the Cineuropa Award, while Barnev received a diploma for his performance in the lead role in the movie. 

“Barnev's brilliant performance, his personal presence in Lecce and the opportunity to interact with the audience were decisive in winning the audience vote,” Sofia Film Fest added. 

The film was made with the support of National Culture Fund. Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova were co-producers on the Bulgarian side.

Ten films - from Denmark, France, and Lithuania, as well as co-productions between Germany, France, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Iceland, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Spain, Greece and Bulgaria - took part in the European Feature Films Competition “Golden Olive Tree”.

The Golden Olive-Tree Cristina Soldano Award for the Best Film was awarded to Sages-femmes (Midwives) by French director Lea Fehner. The Special Jury Award went to the Portuguese film Legua by directors Joao Miller Guerra and Filipa Reis. Ita Zbroniec-Zajt (Poland) won the Best Cinematography Award for her work in Woman on the Roof, while the Best Screenplay Award went to Austreja Urbaite (Lithuania) for Remember to Blink.

Martin Skovbjerg’s (Denmark) Copenhagen Does Not Exist took the Special Fipresci Award. Danish actress Angela Bundalovic received the Best European Actor Award SNGCI for her role in the same movie.