Friday, February 22, 2013

First Annual San Francisco Bulgarian Film Festival to Play March 9-10, 2013





Six Brilliant Feature Films at the Mission’s Brava Theater


The inaugural San Francisco Bulgarian Film Festival will raise the curtains on March 9th and 10th, 2013 at the historic Brava Theater Center in the Mission District. The festival will feature a half-dozen Bulgarian feature films (three each day), with many making their West Coast premiere. The Sofia Independent Film Festival in Bulgaria and The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce SF are the presenters. Gourmet appetizers, beverages and premium Bulgarian wines will be available during intermissions between films.

"The selections for the SFBFF are some of the best films produced by Bulgarian filmmakers in recent years,” says Artistic Director Jana Karaivanova, who also heads up the New York Bulgarian Film Festival, the Sofia Independent IFF and procured the films. “Bulgarian filmmaking has become quite prominent in recent years, with international recognition at major festivals like Cannes, Moscow and Berlin. These selections received high recognition in New York at the sold out screenings of the 8th NYBFF at the Tribeca Theater in Manhattan. We are sure you will enjoy them equally."

Two must-see films include Love.Net and Tilt. Love.Net is a feature-length drama directed by Ilian Djevelekov that won three awards at the 2011 Bulgarian National Film Festival, including Best First Feature Film. Tilt is a drama directed by Viktor Chouchkov that was selected as the Bulgarian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.

“We are thrilled to bring these quality Bulgarian films to San Francisco,” comments SFBFF Executive Director Vance T. Petrunoff. “This will be a memorable festival for the San Francisco Bulgarian community, as well as film buffs from all over the Bay Area.” Petrunoff points out that the films are in Bulgarian with English subtitles.

Tickets for individual films are $12, available online here:

Additionally, there are several multi-ticket discount packages offered here:

Several sponsorship opportunities are available.

SFBFF Program: Day 1, Saturday, March 9, 2013:
3:30PM - Rapid Reaction Corps
6:00PM - Love.Net
Gala party 8:45PM
9:30PM - Letter to America

SFBFF Program: Day 2, Sunday, March 10, 2013:
3:30PM - Shelter
6:30PM - Dzift
Closing party 8:45PM
9:30PM – Tilt

For more information, see



Movie times and schedule are subject to change without notice. You may also check SFBFF website and FB pages for all movie times.
During the Festival we will have a working visit from officials from the Consulate-General of the Republic of Bulgaria and they will conduct Consular Services at the cinema.

SFBFF - Poster


3rd and Final Movie - Sunday, March 10 - 9:30PM - Tilt

Plot Summary for
Tilt 


TILT is a love story set against the backdrop of the changing political and social environment in Europe in the late 80's and early 90's. Can this love survive the challenges of emigration, a violent homeland and immoral social atmosphere thanks to a gang of adventurous friends? Written by Anonymous


Director:

 Viktor Chouchkov

Writers:

 Borislav ChouchkovViktor Chouchkov

Stars:

 Yavor BaharovRadina KardjilovaOvanes Torosian         More at IMDb

Tilt - Official Trailer


Tilt - Poster


Second Movie - Sunday, March 10 - 6:30PM - Dzift / Zift / Дзифт

Plot Summary for

Zift 



Moth is freed on parole after spending time in prison on wrongful conviction of murder. Jailed shortly before the Bulgarian communist coup of 1944, he now finds himself in a new and alien world - the totalitarian Sofia of the 60s. His first night of freedom draws the map of a diabolical city full of decaying neighborhoods, gloomy streets and a bizarre parade of characters. Written by Vladislav Todorov


Director:

 Javor Gardev

Writers:

 Vladislav Todorov (novel), Vladislav Todorov (script)

Stars:

 Zahary BaharovTanya IlievaVladimir Penev             More at IMDb

Dzift / Zift / Дзифт - Official Trailer


Dzift / Zift / Дзифт - Poster


First Movie - Sunday, March 10 - 3:30PM - Shelter / Podslon

Plot Summary for

Shelter

Podslon (original title)


While they have been changing TV channels, making pickles or discussing politics, the parents of 12-year-old Rado have missed their son's growing up. Now they cannot understand why, after disappearing for two days, he isn't sorry for the nightmare he has caused them and why is he ready to run away from home with the first junkies he has met on the street. Written by Anonymous

Director:

 Dragomir Sholev

Writers:

 Razvan RadulescuDragomir Sholev

Stars:

 Tzvetan DaskalovSilvia GerinaIrena Hristoskova     More at IMDb


Shelter / Podslon / Подслон - Trailer


Shelter / Podslon / Подслон - Poster


Third Movie - Saturday, March 9 - 3:30PM - Letter to America (Pismo do Amerika)


Plot Summary for

Letter to AmericaPismo do Amerika (original title)

Ivan's best friend, Kamen, is dying in an American hospital. Since he's denied a visa to the USA and can't stay by his side in his last moments, he decides to set off for Bulgaria countryside, taking the camera Kamen has given him. After some time, he writes her a very special letter, telling all about the places and characters he meets on his way, witnesses to a time which is bound to be forgotten. Written by lukejoplin@infolink.com.br
More at IMDb

Letter to America (Pismo do Amerika) - Trailer


Letter to America (Pismo do Amerika) - Poster


Second Movie - Saturday, March 9 - 6:30PM - Love.net


Plot Summary for

Love.net


Follows the parallel stories of a number of characters who are trying to change their lives via the Internet or are simply having fun online.

Director:

 Ilian Djevelekov

Writers:

 Nelly DimitrovaMatey Konstantinov

Stars:

 Hristo ShopovZahary BaharovLili Lazarova 

More at IMDb

Love.net - Official Trailer (English subtitles)


Love.Net - Poster


First Movie - Saturday, March 9 - 3:30PM - Rapid Response Corps


Plot Summary for

Rapid Response Corps


A team of three broke but energetic young men of enterprise, early thirties, have set-up a partnership-a private company-with the purpose of finding their way to the world of prosperity. The team has its Boss, Vasko; its driver (and, incidentally, its ladies' man) Gecata; and its IT expert, Boreto. The company's only assets are a minivan and the boys' ingenuity and brains. But you can still rely on them for anything! They will save your hapless cat from the dangerous heights of a tree or investigate a convoluted espionage affair - all for a small fee, of course. Written by Emil Simeonov

Director: Stanislav Donchev
Writers: Stanislav Donchev (screenplay), Vasko Mavrikov (screenplay)
Stars: Vasko Mavrikov, Evgeni Budinov, Ivelin Naydenov 


More at IMDb

Rapid Reaction Corps - Trailer


Rapid Reaction Corps - Poster


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Saturday, February 9, 2013

First Annual San Francisco Bulgarian Film Festival to Play March 9-10, 2013




Six Brilliant Feature Films at the Mission’s Brava Theater


The inaugural San Francisco Bulgarian Film Festival will raise the curtains on March 9th and 10th, 2013 at the historic Brava Theater Center in the Mission District. The festival will feature a half-dozen Bulgarian feature films (three each day), with many making their West Coast premiere. The Sofia Independent Film Festival in Bulgaria and The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce SF are the presenters. Gourmet appetizers, beverages and premium Bulgarian wines will be available during intermissions between films.

"The selections for the SFBFF are some of the best films produced by Bulgarian filmmakers in recent years,” says Artistic Director Jana Karaivanova, who also heads up the New York Bulgarian Film Festival, the Sofia Independent IFF and procured the films. “Bulgarian filmmaking has become quite prominent in recent years, with international recognition at major festivals like Cannes, Moscow and Berlin. These selections received high recognition in New York at the sold out screenings of the 8th NYBFF at the Tribeca Theater in Manhattan. We are sure you will enjoy them equally."

Two must-see films include Love.Net and Tilt. Love.Net is a feature-length drama directed by Ilian Djevelekov that won three awards at the 2011 Bulgarian National Film Festival, including Best First Feature Film. Tilt is a drama directed by Viktor Chouchkov that was selected as the Bulgarian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.

“We are thrilled to bring these quality Bulgarian films to San Francisco,” comments SFBFF Executive Director Vance T. Petrunoff. “This will be a memorable festival for the San Francisco Bulgarian community, as well as film buffs from all over the Bay Area.” Petrunoff points out that the films are in Bulgarian with English subtitles.

Tickets for individual films are $12, available online here:

Additionally, there are several multi-ticket discount packages offered here:

Several sponsorship opportunities are available.

SFBFF Program: Day 1, Saturday, March 9, 2013:
3:30PM - Rapid Reaction Corps
6:00PM - Love.Net
Gala party 8:45PM
9:30PM - Letter to America

SFBFF Program: Day 2, Sunday, March 10, 2013:
3:30PM - Shelter
6:30PM - Dzift
Closing party 8:45PM
9:30PM – Tilt

For more information, see



Movie times and schedule are subject to change without notice. You may also check SFBFF website and FB pages for all movie times.
During the Festival we will have a working visit from officials from the Consulate-General of the Republic of Bulgaria and they will conduct Consular Services at the cinema.