The 2026 National Festival of Bulgarian Cinema concluded with the presentation of the Vasil Gendov Awards by the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre on Sunday. The festival featured a broad range of submissions, including 18 feature films, 54 documentaries, 24 short features, and 16 animated films. This year marked a historic occasion for the national event, as the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to two individuals: composer Kiril Donchev and screenwriter Hristo Iliev-Charli, recognizing their significant contributions to Bulgarian cinema.
In the feature film categories, The Herd was awarded Best Feature Film, while Lust received the jury’s Special Award for feature film. Zahari Baharov was named Best Actor, and Gergana Pletnyova won Best Actress. The short feature film category saw Eraserhead in a Knitted Shopping Bag win Best Short Film, and Chapter 6 receive the jury’s Special Diploma.
For documentaries, In Hell with Ivowas won Best Documentary, with Welcome to Sinagovci earning the jury’s Special Award. Furthermore, Tonislav Hristov’s Truth or Dare was honored with the Sofia Municipality Award for the most significant social message. In the animated sections, Under and Over the Bed was recognized with Best Animated Debut, and Ivan Veselinov received the jury’s Special Award for Kumir (Idol).
Nevena Semova secured the Best Documentary Debut Award for Jar of Time. The overall event showcased the depth and breadth of contemporary Bulgarian filmmaking.
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