Bulgarians on Long Island

2008 BULGARIAN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ITS SPOTLIGHT, SHOWCASE, AND SPECIAL EVENTS

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The 2008 New York BG Film Festival, released the line-up for its Spotlight, Showcase and Special Events for the sixth annual New York BG Film Festival. The Festival will take place April 4 – April 19, 2008 in Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue at 38th Street in Manhattan.

“Our spotlight section includes award winning features, documentaries, animations and shorts, produced in Bulgaria for the last two years, including acclaimed European festival favorites and award winners. For the first time this year, we have included Balkan movies in the Showcase selection – six short features from Greece, Romania, Turkey, Croatia and from Bulgaria” said Jana Karaivanova, the Festival’s Artistic Director and Founder.

“Finally, our Special Event will present “East-West Cinema dialogues” where the audience can meet one of the most prominent Bulgarian filmmakers, live here in New York.”

The complete list of films selected for the Showcase, Spotlight and Special Event follows below:

SPOTLIGHT

FRIDAY, APRIL 4TH,

7 PM SEAMSTRESSES, BULGARIA, 2007
Director: Liydmil Todorov
Cinematographer: Emil Hristov
Cast: Alexandra Surchadjieva, Elen Koleva,
Violeta Markovska, Asen Blatechki, Nona Yotova,
Filip Avramov, Joana Bukovska

9 PM OPENING NIGHT GALA
Special guests from Bulgaria:
Nona Yotova, Elen Koleva, Violeta Markovska,
Vladimir Shishkov, Petya Braykova

SATURDAY APRIL 6TH
5 PM MARGO AND FRIENDS, BULGARIA, 2007
Director: Ivan Rossenov
Cinematographer: Mihail Georgiev
Special guest: Ivan Rossenov

6 PM THE TRANSLATOR OF BLACK-AND-WHITE MOVIES, BULGARIA, 2006,
Director: Tedy Moskov
Cinematographer: Hristo Dimitrov – Hindo
Special guests: Tedy Moskov, Maya Novoselska

7 PM INVESTIGATION, BULGARIA/NETHERLAND, 2006,
Director: Iglika Trifonova
Cinematographer: Rali Ralchev
Cast: Svetlana Yancheva, Krasimir Dokov, Deyan Donkov, Hristo Gurbov
Special guest: Iglika Triffonova

9 PM, HINDEMITH, BULGARIA, 2008
Director: Andrey Slabakov
Cinematographer: Dimitur Gotchev, Nenad Boroevich
Cast: Ernestina Shinova, Deyan Donkov, Petur Slabakov, Tonche Tokmakchiev

FRIDAY, APRIL 11TH,

7 PM, NIGHT AND DAY, BULGARIA, 2006
Director: Krasimir Kroumov
Cinematographer: Emil Hristov
Cast: Kristian Simeonov, Radena Vulkanova, Nikolay Urumov, Roumen Traykov, Ivan Burnev

9 PM, FLY BY ROSSINANT, BULGARIA, 2007
Director: Georgi “Jacky”Stoev
Cinematographer: Plamen Gelinov
Music: Goran Bregovich
Cast: Krustyo Lafazanov, Itzko Fintzi,
Maya Novoselska, Tatyana Lolova, Georgi Mamalev
Special guest: Georgi “Jacky” Stoev

SATURDAY, APRIL 12th

5 PM, BALKAN SHORTS, BULGARIA, ROMANIA, CROATIA, TURKEY, GREECE

7 PM, SMALL TALKS, BULGARIA, 2007
Director: Vladimir Kraev
Cinematographer: Svetla Ganeva
Cast: Joana Bukovska, Ivaylo Hristov,
Diana Dobreva, Iyri Angelov, Valentin Tanev
Special guest: Joana Bukovska

9 PM, FROZEN DREAM, BULGARIA, 2005
Director: Ivan Georgiev
Cinematographer: Ivaylo Penchev
Cast: Teodora Ivanova, Ivan Iyrukov, Valentin Tanev, Valentin Ganev, Boyka Velkova, Krustyo Lafazanov

FRIDAY, APRIL 18th

7 PM, THE MOSQUITO PROBLEM AND OTHER STORIES, BULGARIA/NETHERLAND, 2007
Director: Andrey Paunov
Cinematographer: Boris Missirkov, Georgi Bogdanov

9 PM, SOUFFLE D’AMORE, BULGARIA, 2006
Director: Plamen Panev
Cinematographer: Ivan Varimezov
Cast: Irini Jambonas, Dimitur Rachkov, Antoaneta “Neti” Dobreva, Alexandur Doynov,
Dobrin Vekilov

10 PM, LONELY HEARTS, BULGARIA, 2007
Director: Valentin Goshev
Cinematographer: Nenad Boroevich
Cast: Hristo Gurbov, Svetlana Yancheva,
Filip Trifonov, Vesela Kazakova

SATURDAY, APRIL 19TH,

5 PM, LOVE IS…, BULGARIA, 2005
Director: Ivan Tonev
Cinematographer: Iliya Vuchkov
Cast: Mihaela Mihaylova, Evgeni Pavlov
Special guest: Ivan Tonev

6 PM, WALTZES AND TANGOES IN THE VILLAGE OF BELA VODA, BULGARIA, 2007
Director: Ivan Vladimirov
Cinematographer: Georgi Chelebiev
Cast: Dimitur Ovcharov, Stefka Yanorova, Tzvetan Aleksiev, Alexandra Surchadjieva, Pepa Nikolova

6:35 PM, A MOVIE BUFF IN THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY, BULGARIA, 2007
Director: Petar Odajiev
Cinematographer: Emil Penev
Special guest: Petar Odajiev

7 PM, WHICH WAY NOW, BULGARIA, 1988
Director: Rangel Valchanov
Cinematographer: Radoslav Spasov
Cast: Albena Stavreva, Ani Valchanova,
Georgi Staykov, Nikolay Ishkov, Iliyana Kitanova
Special guests: Rangel Valchanov, Ani Valchanova, Nikolay Ishkov, Iliyana Kitanova

9 PM, WHICH WAY TODAY, BULGARIA, 2007
Director: Rangel Valchanov
Cinematographer: Radoslav Spasov
Cast: Albena Stavreva, Ani Valchanova,
Georgi Staykov, Nikolay Ishkov, Iliyana Kitanova
Special guests: Rangel Valchanov, Ani Valchanova, Nikolay Ishkov, Iliyana Kitanova

11 PM CLOSING NIGHT PARTY

SHOWCASE

This mix of five different Balkan countries movies.

SATURDAY, APRIL 12TH,
5 PM, BALKAN SHORTS, BULGARIA, ROMANIA, CROATIA, TURKEY, GREECE

SPECIAL EVENTS

East-West Cinema dialogues featuring Q&A session with our special guests.

1. Iglika Trifonova - Director (Letter to America, Investigation)
2. Elen Koleva – Actress (Seamstresses)
3. Violeta Markovska – Actress (Seamstresses)
4. Nona Yotova – Singer/Songwriter, Actress (Seamstresses, Fly by Rossinant)
5. Vladimir Shishkov – Set Designer/Producer
6. Ivan Tonev – Cinematographer/Director (Love is…)
7. Georgy Stoev – Director (Fly by Rossinant)
8. Genoveva Dimitrova – Film critic
9. Rangel Vulchanov – Director (The Unknown Soldier’s Patten Leather Shoes, Which Way Today)
10. Stefan Kitanov – Artistic Director Sofia International Film Festival
11. Ani Vulchanova – Actress (Which Way Today)

VENUE AND TICKETS

The 2008 Bulgarian Film Festival will take place at Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue at 38th street

Tickets for the Festival will be $10.00 for evening and weekend screenings and

$25.00 for the opening night gala.

Select Passes and Packages are now on sale and can be purchased online at:

www.ny-bgfilmfest.com, or by telephone, at (914) 216 9804. Single ticket sales at Scandinavia House can be purchased from the box office one hour before each screening.

Additional information and further details on the Festival can be found also at www.nybgfilmfest.com, or e-mail us at info@ny-bgfilmfest.com Press contact at (917) 322 9088

Bulgarian Film Festival will be held under the Patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr. George Parvanov.

SPECIAL GUESTS:
1. Rangel Valchanov - Director
2. Iglika Trifonova - Director
3. Nona Yotova - Actress
4. Elen Koleva - Actress
5. Violeta Markovska - Actress
6. Yoanna Boukovska - Actress
7. Georgi Stoev - Director
8. Stefania Koleva - Actress
9. Nikolay Ishkov – Actor/Producer
10. Stefan Kitanov – Director of Sofia IFF/Producer
11. Iliana Kitanova - Actress
12. Ani Valchanova - Actress
13. Genoveva Dimitrova – Film critic
14. Vladimir Shishkov - Producer
15. Petya Braikova – Producer

Last year (2006) american painter Eleanor Gilpatrick visited Bulgaria. Durring her stay she created series of paintings.

Bulgarian General Consul in New York, has organized an exhibit featuring her work in Bulgaria.

TWO WEEKS IN BULGARIA: PAINTINGS BY ELEANOR GILPATRICK
An Exhibition of Paintings On Display at the Bulgarian Consulate

November 1, 2007 - January 30, 2008

121 East 62 Street, New York, NY; Tel. (212) 935-4646

Opening Gala: Thursday, November 1, 6:30 - 8:30 PM

Paintings On Display (All are Acrylic on Canvas)
1. The Kalachev Bridge (site of the first shot of the April 1876 uprising)
2. Wind Effect I: The Kamchia Below The Black Sea
3. October in Koprivshtitsa
4. On The Kamchia
5. Black Sea at Nessebur
6. Wind Effect II: The Kamchia Below The Black Sea
7. Melnik Echoes (shown above)
8. Wind Effect III: The Kamchia Below The Black Sea
9. Sky over Rila
10. Shadows, Nessebur

Our very good friend Kevo did it again for us.

On August 3, 2007 the Kabile Bitov Wedding Band are going to perform authentic Bulgarian songs at Randezvous - Restaurant and Bar - Brooklyn, NY.
For more information and reservation go to the special events page

NY – Bulgarian Film Festival will open for a Fifth time on Friday, March 30, 7 PM in the Scandinavian House ( 58 Park Avenue @ 38 Street) in Manhattan .

Join us for a slate of the most recent, award winning movies from Bulgaria!
Enjoy the presence of our special quests for the opening weekend from Bulgaria:

Diana Dobreva – Winner of the Best Actress Award , VARNA IFF, 2006 – Monkeys in Winter, The Warden of the Dead
Deian Slavchev – DEO – The lead of the “Rebbelion of L”
Dimitar Gochev – Cinematographer, Producer – The Warden of the Dead
Vlado Shishkov – Producer, Designer – My Friends Call Me Old Chap
Bulgarian National Television crew

Q+A with the Bulgarian guests will follow the screenings.

Tickets: $ 10
For more information and reservations:
Call: 212 879 9779; 914 433 2938
E-mail: bace99@prodigy.net
www.ny-bgfilmfest.com

Opening weekend schedule:

FRIDAY, MARCH 30
7 PM
MONKEYS IN WINTER
(Maimyni prez zimata)
BULGARIA/GERMANY, 2006, 111 MIN.
Director: Milena Andonova
Cinematographer: Rali Ralchev
Cast: Bonka Boneva – Boni, Diana Dobreva, Angelina Savova, Asen Blatechki, Stefan Mavrodiev, Filip Trifonov

9 PM
HELL IN HEAVEN
(Ad v raia)
BULGARIA, 2006, 90 MIN
Director: Atanas Kiriakov
Cinematographer: Anton Bakarski
A documentary about the life of the Bulgarian born writer and journalist Stephane Groueff

SATURDAY, MARCH 31
6 PM
MY FRIENDS CALL ME OLD CHAP
(Priatelite me narichat Chicho)
BULGARIA, 2006, 85 MIN
Director: Ivaylo Hristov
Cinematographer: Emil Hristov
Cast: Velko Kunev, Vasil Mihailov, Bogdan Glishev, Boyka Velkova, Naum
Shopov

8 PM
CHRISTMASS TREE UPSIDE DOWN
(Oburnata elha)
BULGARIA/GERMANY, 2006, 127 MIN
Director: Ivan Cherkelov, Vasil Zhivkov
Cinematography: Rali Ralchev
Cast: Alexandra Vasileva, Anton Radichev, Slava Doycheva, Dragomir Sholev,
Krasimir Dokov

SUNDAY, APRIL 1
5 PM
THE REBBELION OF L
(Bynta na L)
BULGARIA, 2006, 115 MIN
Director: Kiran Kolarov
Cinematographer: Krasimir Kostov
Cast: Deyan Slavchev – Deo, Fanny Kolarova, Hristo Garbov, Dicho Hristov, Valentin Tanev

7 PM
THE WARDEN OF THE DEAD
(Pazachut na murtvite)
BULGARIA, 2006, 105 MIN
Director: Ilian Simeonov
Cinematographer: Dimitar Gochev
Cast: Diana Dobreva, Vladko Georgie, Itzhak Finzii

This year’s Festival is organized under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr. Georgy Parvanov, by Bulgaria-America Cultural Exchange, by the State Culture Institute at the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, by the Bulgarian National Film Center and the Bulgarian National Television and the Consul General of Bulgaria in New York.

The film selection includes 11 of the most recent features and documentaries, produced by the National Film Center , Bulgarian National Television and the independent producers for the past two years.
Most of the pictures are already awarded at major International Festivals including such high prizes as the Special Jury Award at the Karlovy Vary IFF, 2006 for “Christmas Tree Upside Down” and the Best Picture Award in the “East of West” section of the same Festival for “Monkeys in Winter”. Also included are the winner at the box office in Bulgaria for 2006 – “The Rebellion of L” and the Sundance pick for 2006 – “Georgy and the Butterflies” along with the best films produced for the past two years.

This year’s Fest has the honor to represent Bulgaria as the newest EU member in the program of the EU Delegation to USA for celebrating Fifty years of the creation of the European Union with the Treaty of Rome . For a first time Bulgarian film production will be recognized as official part of the European cultural spectrum, thus contributing to the broader recognition of the new European identity in USA .

Another fun year is over. Now is the time to celebrate the new one.

As you probably already know there is going to be a Bulgarian gathering at Giorgio’s.

Giorgio’s is located inside Fox Hill Golf & Country Club

Join us and let’s have fun.