The awards ceremony for the 26th Sofia International Film Festival has come and gone, with the event, overseen by festival directors Stefan Kitanov and Mira Staleva, celebrating its first full physical edition since the pandemic.

The ceremony itself, held at the National Palace of Culture on Saturday evening, made pointed reference to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with a guitar and vocal trio providing a short interstitial version of Plastic Ono Band’s “Give Peace a Chance” after every speech. A special tribute was paid to Ukrainian director Oleh Sentsov, who was able to participate in his jury duty amidst his work in the military resistance, with the competition titles provided as screener links.

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Considered the festival’s most prestigious gong, the Sofia City of Film Award for the best film in the international competition was given to Sonata [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Bartosz Blaschke, which focuses on a 14-year-old boy misdiagnosed with ASD due to hearing loss. After it previously showed at Gdynia and Camerimage, this victory marks the film’s international premiere, where it also took home the Audience Award. The jury, composed of Iglika Triffonova, Lech Majewski, the aforementioned Oleh Sentsov, Zlatina Rousseva and Radivoje Andric, provided the following statement: “For the detailed and compelling telling of a real person's life and their painful journey in finding the meaning of living. For the elegant cinematic approach in creating a reality of suffering, stoicism and kindness. For a remarkable acting presence. For believing in the power of art and talent.”

The Best Balkan Film Award was handed to Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović’s Murina [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović
intervista: Gracija Filipovic
scheda film], continuing its illustrious festival journey after being launched with the Camera d’Or gong at last year’s Cannes. The jury members, Alberto Simone, Jan P Matuszyński and Yana Tivova, gave this rationale: “The award is given for the undeniable artistic qualities of the film, for the exciting tension in which it keeps the viewer from the very first frame to the finale. For the extremely precise cinematic language and the impressive acting incarnations. For the many subtle metaphors so well intertwined in the story, and for the exquisite work with the camera that reveals the ocean to us in a tense but very candid, true and beautifully poetic way.”

The festival continues with further screenings until the end of March, with the online component lasting until April. The complete list of award winners, including works both new and familiar to the festival circuit, is as follows:

Sofia City of Film Award
Sonata [+leggi anche:
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Special Jury Award
Humble [+leggi anche:
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Best Director
Andrey M Paounov - January [+leggi anche:
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Special Mention
The Absent Director - Arvand Dashtary (Iran)

Best Bulgarian Short Film
Game - Orlin Menkadzhiev (Bulgaria)

Best Balkan Film
Murina [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović
intervista: Gracija Filipovic
scheda film] - Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović (Croatia/Brazil/USA/Slovenia)

Special Mention
Blue Moon [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Alina Grigore
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Best Documentary
Zo Reken - Emanuel Licha (Canada)

Special Mention
Our Quiet Place - Elitsa Georgieva (France/Bulgaria)

Best Bulgarian Feature Film
In the Heart of the Machine - Martin Makariev (Bulgaria)

FIPRESCI Award
The Windseeker - Mihai Sofronea (Romania/Bulgaria/Serbia)

Award of the Bulgarian Guild of Film Critics
Fishbone [+leggi anche:
intervista: Dragomir Sholev
scheda film] - Dragomir Sholev (Bulgaria)

Audience Award
Sonata - Bartosz Blaschke

Young Jury Award
A Love Song - Max Walker-Silverman (USA)

The Sofia Award for Contribution to the Art of Film
Angel Wagenstein - screenwriter and author (Bulgaria)
Iglika Trifonova - director (Bulgaria)