Sofia Independent Film Festival Began

The eighth edition of Sofia Independent Film Festival started in Sofia on 26 October. It will run until 5 November 2017.

The most exciting independent cinema forum on the Balkans will show a selection of over 90 daring films, created by talented American, Bulgarian, and European filmmakers.

The films are presented in the following categories: Official competition – Narrative, Documentary, Short film; Bulgarian Independent Cinema; Special screenings out of the competition, accompanying programs with low budget films. The So Independent Film Fest will end with the second edition of the Sofia Sport Film Festival, which is done in partnership with Sofia – European Capital of Sport 2018.

The festival is opened with “Lucky” – a film that follows the spiritual journey of a 90-year-old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off the map desert town. Viewrs will have the opportunity to see the lastrole of Harry Dean Stanton, who passed away this year.

The audience will see another notable actress, Jessica Chastey, in “The Zookeeper’s Wife”.

For the first time, an international jury will give awards to the best films in several categories. A Bulgarian jury will select the best short films and feature length projects in development.

The chair of the jury is Loren Hammonds. BNT 1 programme director Sevda Shishmanova is a member of the jury.

Sofia Independent Film Festival is the unique regional forum that represents independent cinema in Southeast Europe. It has two showcases every year in New York City and Sofia, Bulgaria. It is the only festival in South East Europe that brings the current world cinema trends to both the domestic audience and the latest in Bulgarian and regional cinema to the world.