Italian actor Michele Placido arrives in Bulgaria for this year’s edition of “Cinemania”

The Italian actor and director Michele Placido arrives in Bulgaria for this year's edition of Kinomania (Cinemania) film festival.

The star of "Octopus" will land in Bulgaria on 19 November to meet his fans and present his film "The Shadow of Caravaggio".

In the minds of his many admirers, Michele Placido will remain Commissioner Corrado Catani, who hunts the Italian mafia. Now, however, we will see him directing a film about the great artist Caravaggio and his battle for freedom and truth. The screening in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture will be the first outside Italy.

"Michele Placido has been developing as a filmmaker for the last 30 years. This is his 14th film. I have personally watched most of his directorial films and I like them, and I think 'Caravaggio's Shadow' will be one of the events of the year," said Vlado Trifonov, programmer of "Cinemania”.

As part of the tradition, "Cinemania" will open with a Bulgarian film. It is "Mother" by Zornitsa Sofia, which searches for the meaning of being parents.

"Not only the mother, but also the parent - this is the capacity of a person to give. I think that the moment you get to the state of not just wanting a child, but wanting to give and be a parent, it doesn't matter anymore what age you are, what gender you are, can you or can you not. I think that parenthood is exactly the process in which we can give and we are ready to give," says director Zornitsa Sofia.

"Cinemania" starts on November 17, and if you reserve your ticket, you can enter a raffle for free access to all screenings next year.