The 2026 Vasil Gendov Awards concluded the National Festival of Bulgarian Cinema, taking place at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre. The national cinematic gathering featured a wide scope of submissions, with a total of 112 films competing across categories, including 18 feature films, 54 documentaries, 24 short features, and 16 animated works. The Bulgarian cinema community marked a historical milestone this year, as the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented for the first time to two distinguished figures: composer Kiril Donchev and screenwriter Hristo Iliev-Charli, recognizing their substantial contributions to the art form.
In the feature film competition, The Herd was awarded Best Feature Film, while Lust received the jury’s Special Award. Zahari Baharov was recognized as Best Actor, and Gergana Pletnyova won Best Actress. The awards also recognized achievements across specialized genres.
In the short feature category, Eraserhead in a Knitted Shopping Bag took home Best Short Film, and Chapter 6 earned the jury’s Special Diploma. For documentaries, In Hell with Ivowas was named Best Documentary, and Welcome to Sinagovci received the jury’s Special Award. Furthermore, Jar of Time secured Best Documentary Debut for Nevena Semova.
The festival also honored social impact, with Truth or Dare (Tonislav Hristov) receiving the Sofia Municipality Award for its significant social message
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