The 2026 Vasil Gendov Awards, hosted by the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, concluded the National Festival of Bulgarian Cinema. The ceremony recognized cinematic achievements across 112 submitted works, spanning feature films, documentaries, short features, and animation. The national event marked a historic occasion, as the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to two individuals for their significant contributions to Bulgarian cinema: composer Kiril Donchev and screenwriter Hristo Iliev-Charli.
In the feature film category, The Herd was awarded Best Feature Film, while Lust received the jury’s Special Award. Zahari Baharov secured the Best Actor Award, and Gergana Pletnyova won Best Actress. The competition spanned multiple genres.
In the short feature category, Eraserhead in a Knitted Shopping Bag was named Best Short Film, and Chapter 6 received the jury’s Special Diploma. For documentary filmmaking, In Hell with Ivowas won Best Documentary, with Welcome to Sinagovci earning the jury’s Special Award. Tonislav Hristov’s Truth or Dare was recognized with the Sofia Municipality Award for its social message.
The animation segment saw Nevena Semova receive the Best Documentary Debut Award for Jar of Time. Furthermore, Sofia Sokerova and Sonya Ranova were honored with the Best Animated Debut Award for Under and Over the Bed. Ivan Veselinov received the jury’s Special Award for the animated piece Kumir (Idol).
The awards ceremony highlighted the depth and breadth of contemporary **Bul
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