The 2026 Vasil Gendov Awards, presented by the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, marked the National Festival of Bulgarian Cinema. The annual event showcased the depth of the industry, with a total of 112 films competing across categories, including 18 feature films, 54 documentaries, 24 short features, and 16 animated works. The festival held historical significance, as the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to two individuals for their contributions to Bulgarian cinema: composer Kiril Donchev and screenwriter Hristo Iliev-Charli.
The Best Feature Film award was presented to The Herd, while Lust received the jury’s Special Award in the feature film category. Zahari Baharov won Best Actor, and Gergana Pletnyova was recognized as Best Actress. In the short feature category, Eraserhead in a Knitted Shopping Bag secured the Best Short Film, and Chapter 6 earned the jury’s Special Diploma.
The documentary section saw In Hell with Ivowas take home the Best Documentary, with Welcome to Sinagovci receiving the jury’s Special Award. Furthermore, Tonislav Hristov’s Truth or Dare was honored with the Sofia Municipality Award for its significant social message. The recognition extended to emerging talent.
Nevena Semova received the Best Documentary Debut Award for Jar of Time, and Sofia Sokerova and Sonya Ranova
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That sounds like a major win for Bulgarian cinema this year.