HIGHLIGHTS
SEMAINE DE LA CRITIQUE - SPECIAL SCREENING
ERASERHEAD IN A KNITTED SHOPPING BAG
18th May, Sunday, 16pm, @ Miramar
Lili Koss’s evocative short follows twelve-year-old Ro as she navigates a sweltering late-’90s Eastern European suburb in search of a pirated VHS of David Lynch’s Eraserhead. Along crumbling friendships, stolen cigarettes and VHS-era turf wars, Ro discovers that cinema offers her only fragile escape from the slipping world of childhood. Produced by Vanya Raynova and Viktoria Mitreva for Portokal in co-production with Klass Film—and supported by the National Film Center, National Cultural Fund, Creative Europe – MEDIA and the Culture Foundation Pernik—this 19-minute Bulgarian-language film will receive its world premiere in Critics’ Week at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2025
OUR ACTIVITIES
VARIETY GLOBAL CONVERSATIONS
16th May, Friday, 10.00 - request an invitation here.
Attending Cannes Film Festival? Join us on May 16 for Variety's Global Conversations Summit featuring four panels centered on global incentives and filming. The summit will include panelists from Cinecittà, Les Studios de Paris, The Royal Commission of Alula and Bulgaria participating in conversations moderated by Variety journalists Leo Barraclough, John Hopewell, Nick Vivarelli and Alex Ritman.
AJDE! CO-PRODUCING WITH SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE
16th May, Friday, 15.30 pm, @ SEE Pavilion (Riviera 135)
Dynamic conversation exploring the rising potential of South-Eastern Europe as a co-production hub. From competitive cash rebate schemes and highly skilled crews to untapped locations and a growing network of regional funds, the SEE region is rapidly gaining ground as one of Europe’s most promising filmmaking corridors. Discover why SEE region is the next frontier in international co-production.
HAPPY HOUR
16th May, Friday, 17.00 pm, @ SEE Pavilion (Riviera 135)
We welcome you to an informal event of networking and introductions. Join us for an evening of insightful conversations in a stress-free atmosphere.
PRODUCER ON THE MOVE
Megdelena Ilieva was selected as a Producer on the Move. She has been active in the industry since 2006. In 2014, she produced The Lesson, which premiered in the Contemporary World Cinema section at TIFF. Through her company Little Wing Productions (founded 2014), she produced shorts including Enemies (2015, Sofia & Trieste), The Son (2016, Tampere & Sofia; Best Short at Cottbus) and Money for a Funeral (aka Hole, 2017; Edmonton, Nice, Clermont-Ferrand, Tirana). Her feature debut Eternity premiered at Cottbus in November 2024 and was in competition at Sofia IFF 2025.She is currently developing new features and remains active on European co-production and talent labs.
FIRST FEATURE LAB - PITCH SESSION
21st of May, Friday, 14.30 pm @ Workshop Room 1, aisle 14, Palais des Festivals –1
Olga Koleva’s debut feature project will be presented at the First Feature Film Lab. Written by the well-known writers Nevena Kertowa and Georgi Ivanov, the plot follows two lonely women, worlds apart, cultivating the healing power of human connection.
IN THE PALACE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
is also presented at Cannes – Short Film Corner, stand #3
An Academy Awards/Oscar® Qualifying festival, a Student Academy Awards® qualifying festival, and also a Goya Awards® qualifying festival. For 20 years, IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival serves as a meeting point for the film industry. Come and meet them in Cannes!
CREATIVE EUROPE MEDIA DESK - BULGARIA
In 2024, Bulgarian projects in the fields of film distribution, television and online content, as well as journalistic partnerships, pluralism and media literacy, were supported with over 2.3 million euros. Come and discover our local CE officers and gain precious insights into our local context. Do not miss the special Creative Europe MEDIA Stand events.
PUBLICATIONS
We have published four special editions for this year’s Cannes:
Come and experience Bulgarian Cinema at our pavilion, shared with seven other neighboring countries – #135 in the Village International at Marché du Film! The Bulgarian National Film Center offers information, know-how, and insights into the Bulgarian film industry. We also serve as a promotional hotpoint for Bulgarian cinema and a networking place for Bulgarian film professionals and their international partners.
GET IN TOUCH
Peter Todorov I Executive Director I May 13 – 20 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Irina Kanusheva I International Relations I May 13– 20 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Stefan Prohorov I Eurimages National Representative I May 13 – 20 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Kremena Dimitrova I PR I May 13 – 20 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Kamen Balkanski I CED MEDIA Bulgaria, Head I May 15- 20 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
