No Place for You in Our Town by Nikolay Stefanov received the Best Documentary Film Award.
In all, 15 feature films, 20 documentaries, 15 short films, 15 animated films and three minority coproductions were submitted.
The festival aims to continue the tradition of the annual awards for film art of the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers, which began in 1975.
The National Film Festival “Vasil Gendov” - Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers Awards is organised by the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers with the support of the Bulgarian National Film Center.
The awards ceremony was held at the Sofia Opera and Ballet on 16 Маy 2023.
FULL LIST OF AWARDS:
FICTION FILMS:
Best Feature Film:
The Art of Falling (Bulgaria)
Directed by Orlin Milchev
Produced by Geopoli
Coproduced by Doli Media Studio
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center
Best Director:
Ivan Pavlov for Spring Equinox (Bulgaria)
Produced by Art 47 Ltd
Coproduced by Red Carpet Films, Dolly Media Studio, Magic Shop
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center
Best Screenplay:
Zornitsa Sophia, Miglena Dimova for Mother (Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia)
Directed by Zornitsa Sophia
Produced by Mountain Queen Pictures
Coproduced by Ostlicht Filmproduktion, Focus Media, Nu Boyana Films
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, MDM Fund, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre
Best Cinematography:
Kiril Prodanov for Darkling (Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy)
Directed by Dusan Milic
Produced by Film Deluxe International
Coproduced by This and That Productions, Firefly Productions, Space Rocket Nation, A_Lab s.r.l., RFF International, GRAAL Films
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, Film Center Serbia (fcs.rs), the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, EURIMAGES, the Danish Film Institute, FVG Audiovisual Fund, Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Fund, the Greek Film Center, ERT, MEDIA Creative Europe, DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation)
Best Debut Film:
The Good Driver (Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden)
Directed by Tonislav Hristov
Produced by Making Movies Oy
Coproduced by Soul Food, Cinenic, Film i Väst
Supported by the Finnish Film Foundation (SES), YLE1, the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Bulgarian National Television
Special Mention for Debut Film:
Giri (Bulgaria)
Directed by Petia Iosifova
Produced by Ars Ltd
Coproduced by Zographic films
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr
Best Actor in a Leading Role:
Malin Krastev in The Good Driver (Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden)
Best Leading Actress:
Svetlana Yancheva in Spring Equinox (Bulgaria)
Best Supporting Actor:
Gerasim Georgiev in The Good Driver (Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden)
Best Supporting Actress:
Daria Dimitrova in Mother (Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia)
Best Editing:
Veselka Kiryakova for Spring Equinox (Bulgaria)
Best Original Music:
Ace Vaptsarov for Yellow Oleander (Bulgaria)
Directed by Latchezar Avramov
Produced by Premier Studio
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr
Best Sound:
Alexander Simeonov, Olivier Calvert for Phi 618 (Bulgaria, Canada)
Directed by Theodore Ushev
Produced by Moviemento, Peripeteia
Coproduced by Bravo Charlie
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr
Best Production Design:
Sabina Hristova for Phi 618 (Bulgaria, Canada)
Best Costume Design:
Velika Prahova for Phi 618 (Bulgaria, Canada)
Best Short Film:
Happy New Year (Bulgaria)
Directed by Antonia Milchevа
DOCUMENTARIES:
Best Documentary:
No Place for You in Our Town (Bulgaria)
Directed by Nikolay Stefanov
Produced by Smarty Pants Shooter
Coproduced by HBO MAX
Special Jury Award:
Voev (Bulgaria)
Directed by Bilyana Kirilova
Produced by MatchPoint Productions
Supported by the Ministry of Culture - Republic Bulgaria, the Sofia Municipality
Best Debut Film:
Morality is Goodness (Bulgaria)
Directed by Veselin Dimanov
Produced by Afflatus Ltd
Best Director:
Nikolay Stefanov for No Place for You in Our Town (Bulgaria)
Best Screenplay:
Bilyana Kirilova, Neda Milanova for Voev (Bulgaria)
Directed by Bilyana Kirilova
Produced by MatchPoint Productions
Supported by the Ministry of Culture - Republic Bulgaria, the Sofia Municipality
Best Cinematography:
Georgi Bogdanov, Boris Missirkov for The Cars We Drove Into Capitalism (Bulgaria, Germany, Czech Republic, Denmark, Croatia)
Directed by Georgi Bogdanov, Boris Missirkov
Produced by Agitprop
Coproduced by Saxonia Entertainment, Danish Documentary Production, Hulahop, Endorfilm, MDR in cooperation with ARTE
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr, MEDIA Creative Europe, the Danish Film Institute, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the Czech Film Fund, in association with DR, YLE
Best Editing:
Stoian Velinov for No Place for You in Our Town
Best Original Music:
Nikola Gruev-Kotarashki for Theodore Ushev: Unseen Connections (Bulgaria, Canada)
Directed by Borislav Kolev
Produced by Projector
Coproduced by the National Film Board of Canada, Cineflo
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr, the Sofia Municipality, the Bulgarian National Television
Best Sound:
Mariana Valkanova, Svilen Boianov, Georgi Tsvetkov for Major Thompson - (Un)necessary Hero (Bulgaria)
Directed by Jezko Davidoff
Produced by Magic Shop
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr
ANIMATED FILMS:
Best Animated Film:
Meko Kazano (Bulgaria)
Directed by Anri Kulev
Produced by Kancelaria Film
Coproduced by Doli Media Studio
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr, the Bulgarian National Television
Special Jury Award:
Trace by Asparuh Petrov (Bulgaria)
Produced by Compote Collective
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr
Best Screenplay:
Valeri Petrov for Meko Kazano (Bulgaria)
Best Director:
Sotir Gelev for Florentine Night (Bulgaria)
Produced by Four Hands Animation Studio
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr
Best Animation:
Spartak Jordanov, Vesela Iotsova for Depersonalization (Bulgaria)
Directed by Spartak Jordanov
Produced by Screening Emotions
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr
Best Art Director:
Dimitar Dimitrov - Animiter for The Artist (Bulgaria)
Produced by Мetamorphoza N Ltd
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr
Best Original Music:
Rumen Boiadjiev for Florentine Night (Bulgaria)
Best Sound:
Blagomir Alexiev for Witchfairy (Belgium, Bulgaria)
Directed by Cedric Igodt, David Van de Weyer
Produced by CineVenture LTD
Coproduced by Zorgaphic Films
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centеr
Best Debut Film:
Okeania (Bulgaria)
Directed by Stephan Voivodov
FILM CRITICISM:
Award for Best Book or Theoretical Text:
Peter Kardjilov, Irina Kitova, Zornitsa Krasteva for Chronicle of the Silent Cinema in Sofia (1896 – 1933) (Sofia G8 Cultural Center, 2022)
Award for Film Criticism:
Prof. Ingeborg Bratoeva-Darakchieva
SPECIAL AWARDS:
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Prof. Georgi Dulgerov
Special Award for Contribution to Bulgarian Film Criticism:
Prof. Vera Naydenova
