The BNFC will also undergo a major restructuring process following the adoption of the amended Regulations for the implementation of the Film Industry Act at the end of July by Bulgaria’s Council of Ministers. The amendments to the Film Industry Act which included a 25% cash rebate for foreign film productions took first took place in March 2021.

The official procedure for receiving the mandatory notification of the new state aid schemes by the European Union has already begun and the new registration numbers are expected in September 2021. This will allow the BG NFC to restart its activities within the public funds allocations, suspended since 1 January 2021.

“Our actual situation is extremely complex. It is due to numerous management errors during the last years, a rush through of the regulatory framework and unnecessarily complicated procedures. The new public support schemes and the structuring of the new expert bodies will alas swallow a lot of our energy. It will be a long process, but I sincerely believe that at the end of this uneven way we will become wiser”, acting director of the BNFC Kamen Balkanski told FNE.

Due to technological deadlines, all Subject to the amendments to the Industry Film Act the public support for domestic films will not be less than the previous year's sum of the average budgets of 12 features, 22 feature documentaries, and 250 minutes of animated films.

The public support mechanism for TV series is due to enter into force on 1 January 2022.