09-12-2025

Golden Rhyton Film Festival 2025 Ready to Kick Off in Bulgaria

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    PLOVDIV: The 29th Golden Rhyton Festival of Bulgarian Documentary and Animated Film will take place from 17 to 22 December 2025 in Plovdiv, screening 59 films across its two official competitions.

    The documentary competition features 29 films, including 23 supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center and four international coproductions. The animation competition presents 30 films, 14 of which are supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center. The parallel Open Horizons programme includes 17 additional works.

    The festival’s additional programme offers a rich selection of cultural events, including Women Directors in Bulgarian Documentary Cinema of the 20th Century, honouring the legacy of Bulgarian women documentary filmmakers, and the exhibition-installation Snezha and Franz: Zweisamkeit, connected to the newest documentary by director Svetoslav Draganov.

    New publications will also be presented, including the new issue of Problems of Art (4/2025), Animated Memoirs by Nastimir Tsachev, and Screen Music Up Close by Prof. Dr. Claire Levy.

    Organised by the Bulgarian National Film Center with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Plovdiv Municipality, the Golden Rhyton Festival is the leading public event celebrating Bulgarian documentary and animated film production.

    Documentary Competition:

    Snezha and Franz (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Svetoslav Draganov

    In Hell with Ivo (Bulgaria, USA)
    Directed by Kristina Nikolova

    We All Are Children (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Svetla Tsotsorkova, Svetoslav Ovcharov

    The March of the Amazons (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Borislav Kolev

    Those to Whom Much Is Given (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Nikolay Vasilev

    The Cruel Way (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Deyan Berarev

    Punk under the Communist Regime (Serbia, Slovenia, Bulgaria)
    Directed by Andrej Košak

    Konstantin Kotsev – Diary of a Madman (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Dimitar Kotsev - Shoho

    Being Related with John Malkovich (Croatia, Italy, Bulgaria)
    Directed by Luka Mavretic

    Strandzha (Bulgaria, Germany)
    Directed by Pepa Hristova

    Zlatyu’s Dog (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Kristina Grozeva, Peter Valchanov

    Beyond a Terror Attack (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Asen Vladimirov

    One of Them (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Anri Koulev

    The Celestial Mechanics of Kites (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Аndrey Koulev

    Sisyphus and Death (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Antoaneta Bachurova

    Learning to Fly (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Svetlozar Georgiev

    Petko Venedikov: Memories from Bulgaria’s 20th Century (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Ivan Alexiev

    Boryana VS Geratsite (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Stanislav Donchev

    Beyond the Curtain (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Slavy Georgiev

    Vasko & the Violin (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Lora Krumova, Maria Yotova

    Ahab Was Here: Reflections on Moby Dick (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Todor “Tosh” Lichev

    Revealed: The Shadow (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Georgi Krastev

    In Their Place (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Nikolay Rasakiev

    Two Cameras in Search of the Perfect Shot (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Dilian Markov

    Sense of Belonging (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Irena Daskalova

    A Pirate Romance (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Borimir Ilkov-Bono

    Cleaned by a Master (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Stefan Boiadjiev

    The Voice of Faith (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Radoslav Iliev

    Jam of Time (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Nevena Semova

    Animated Film Competition:

    Balkonada (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Iva Tomakchieva

    The Granny (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Kalina Dimitrova, Alexa Trayanova

    Giant Lazybones (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Yassen Grigorov

    The Unconscionable Man (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Alexander Nemtserov, Vladimir Nanev, Iren Hayri, Elemira Todorova

    А Comprehensive Research (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Vladislav Ivanov

    Ravenera (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Teodor Ralev

    The Big Promotion (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Dara Traycheva, Nadezhda Valdobreva

    Dear You (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Tanya Bozhilova

    Grandpa Is Sleeping (Bulgaria, Romania)
    Directed by Matei Branea

    Winter Story (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Dimitar Dimitrov

    Illuminer (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Lachezar Velinov

    Sparks (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Ryan Dimitrov, Marta Alexieva

    Коse Bose (Bulgaria)
    Directed by George Kaytzanov

    The Flatterer (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Vanessa Aleksandrova

    The Gadgeteers (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Kiril Ivanov

    The Boy Who Erased the Kisses (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Fernando Galrito, Radostina Neykova

    Innocent Sorrow (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Nikolay Yanev

    Stolen Colors (Bulgaria, Litva)
    Directed by Gaute Hesthagen

    Under and over the Bed (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Sofia Sokerova, Sonya Ranova

    Fires (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Aleksa Trayanova

    Someone as Flow (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Helen Unt

    Connected (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Simeon Sokerov

    Blue Hat with a Feather (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Katia Mankova

    The Miser (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Denis Belishky

    The Old Pond (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Pavel Koulev

    Petty Pride (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Maria Dimova, Dea Tchipeva

    How it All Began (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Lachezar Velinov, Maya Bocheva

    Thorn in the Eye (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Viktoria Panova, Lidiya Tsvetkova

    Hercules - a Gift from Dad (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Anton Zhekov

    A Sense of Rhythm (Bulgaria)
    Directed by Anri Koulev