28-01-2013

Bulgaria Takes Center Stage at FIPA

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    Kusturica, Balkans Bad Boy directed by Georgi Toshev and Yavor Vesselinov Kusturica, Balkans Bad Boy directed by Georgi Toshev and Yavor Vesselinov

    BIARRITZ: A seven-film Bulgarian focus was the Central European highlight of the 26th International Festival of Audiovisual Programs (FIPA) held 22-27 January 2013.

    The selection was a special focus on the educational model and the film production of the Bulgarian National Academy for Theatre & Film Arts (NATFA) “Krustyo Sarafov”, presented in the “Jeune Création” programme.

    Six of the seven selected titles were graduation films with the exception of Claustrophobiawhich was directed by first year student Chavdar Chernev.

    Rossitza Ilieva, a FAMU graduate NATFA associate professor told FNE, “The Bulgarian student film program is of high quality…. Bulgarian young films are usually warmly accepted everywhere.” She added, “It was interesting to hear that most of the foreign students present in Biarritz were interested in the administrative structure of our academy, its financial sources and the feelings of the Bulgarian students towards Turkish series.”

    This year Fipatel, the selective FIPA international market presented Georgi Toshev’s and Yavor Vesselinov’s creative documentary Kusturica, Balkans Bad Boy, coproduced by Sofia-based ShortCut Productions and Bulgarian private TV channel bTV and represented by the French world sales agent Insomnia.