The 72 minutes film shows the often comedic everyday life and the dreams of a group of treasure hunters around the beautiful Black Sea beach Karadere. Supported by the Media program and the Bulgarian National Film Center, the film arrived in Plovdiv with a considerable package of international and national recognitions, among which the Bulgarian Film Academy best documentary director, best debut and best cinematography awards. In Europe, the film premeried at the Swiss Visions du Reel and in North America it premiered at the Canadian HotDocs. Before the Golden Rhyton four theatres in Sofia started screening the film commercially.

By receiving the Special jury award and the Critics Guild Award Anri Kulev’s The Book of Silence, produced by Atract DM was recognised as the most artistic and poetic work of the documentary competition. The Best DoP award went to Kulev’s wife Svetla Ganeva, who shot the film.

With three films at the festival, two of which were produced by Bulgarian National Television, Rosen Elezov was named Best director, while the town of Plodviv gave its award to Citizen Cinema, directed by Kosta Bikov and produced by ARS Digital. Dedicated to Todor Andrekov, one of the most esteemed film critics from the recent past, Bikov proposed that the Bulgarian National Film Archive be named after his protagonist.

The Golden Rhyton for Best Animated Film went to A Story From the Woollen Kingdom, directed by Angel Manov and produced by Gala Film. “Our film is the first puppet film made in Bulgaria during the last twenty years,” stated producer Galina Tovena. According to film critic Petia Alexandrova “this year the festival screened very good animated films dedicated to children and this is a positive trend.”    

Golden Rhyton Award Winners:

Best Documentary Film Golden Rhyton
The Last Black Sea Pirates
Directed by Svetoslav Stoyanov
Produced by Agitprop
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

Best Animated Film Golden Rhyton
A Story from the Woollen Kingdom
Directed byAngel Manov
Produced by: Gala Film
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

Special Jury Award for documentary
The Book of Silence
Directed by Anri Koulev
Produced by Atract DM
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

Best Documentary Director
Rosen Elezov
(for his overall presentation in the competition)

The Voice That Prays to God for Bulgaria
Directed by Rosen Elezov
Produced by Bulgarian National Television

Colours of the Voice
Directed by Rosen Elezov
Produced by the Vaik – Valeriy Kostov
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

London, Bulgaria
Directed by Rosen Elezov
Produced by Bulgarian National Television

Best Art Director, Writer, Director and Animator
Ilian Velikov
Pissed Off
Directed by Ilian Velikov
Produced by NAFTA

Best Debut
Listen
Directed by Diana Ivanova
Produced by Actink
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

Best DoP
Svetla Ganeva
The Book of Silence
Directed by Anri Koulev
Produced by Atract DM
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

Plovdiv Municipality Award
Citizen Cinema
Directed by Kosta Bikov
Produced by ARS Digital
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

Special Mention - Documentary Films Competition

The Enlightening Life Story of the Prošek Brothers
Directed by Lubomir Halatchev
Produced by Kadiak film
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

The Dead Open the Eyes of the Living
Directed by Stanislava Kalcheva
Produced by Korund–X
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

Special Mention - Animated Films Competition

Puddle
Directed by Vera Doneva
Produced by Nagual
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

The Day of the Bleeding Gums
Directed by Dimitar Dimitrov
Produced by Animiter

The Award of the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers
Dimitar Shishmanov: Points to Ponder
Directed by Ralitsa Dimitrova
Produced by Geopoly Film
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

The Critics Guild Award
The Book of Silence
Directed by Anri Koulev
Produced by Atract DM
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

The Bulgarian National Film Archive Award
Citizen Cinema
Directed by Kosta Bikov
Produced by ARS Digital
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center

Academica 21 Association Award
Inside the Rock
Directed by Valentina Fidanova-Kolarova
Produced by the Bulgarian National Television & MLN