13/03/2025 - The annual industry forum taking place in the Bulgarian capital shines a light on new talent from Europe and the region

The 22nd edition of Sofia Meetings, the industry platform focusing on Central and Eastern European film projects taking place within the framework of the Sofia International Film Festival, will unfold this year between 19 and 23 March. For five days, directors and producers will have the chance to pitch their first, second or third feature-length projects in order to find future co-producers, sales agents or distributors. Industry professionals will also attend closed screenings of projects at various stages of post-production, favouring contact with key decision makers and networking opportunities.

The forum’s Feature Films Pitching module presents 11 titles, all first, second and third feature fiction film projects by directors looking for co-producers, sales and distribution. One series will also be on display, and 7 films will be presented in the Projects in Bank section, the only strand not presented publicly but featuring upcoming films by Andrey Paounov and Stefan Komandarev. Titles to watch include celebrated short film director Pavel Andonov’s feature debut Flowers of Farewell, hailing from Finland, and a feature by Bulgarian filmmaker Antonia Milcheva backed by producer Katya Trichkova, who was involved in the Oscar-nominated short The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent.

The Work In Progress selection includes 17 features and one short film and three creative documentary films. Six of those projects are either Bulgarian productions or co-productions, while other countries include Georgia, Luxembourg, Spain and Poland, amongst others.

The Bulgarian capital will once again welcome hundreds of film professionals to its pitching sessions, workshops and talks. Alongside the distribution-centred workshops led by Europa Cinemas and Europa Distribution, Sofia Meetings delivers a programme of industry talks, supported by ACE, EAVE, MIDPOINT and the MFI in collaboration with Thessaloniki’s Crossroads Co-production Forum/Agora Market.

The full list of projects taking part in this year’s edition of Sofia Meetings:

Feature Film Projects

Bombast – Alexander Bischof
Producer: Olga Kavtreva – Stave Hill Films (UK)

Bright Grey – Miruna Minculescu
Producer: Oana Iancu – The East Company Productions, Neopol Film (Romania, Germany)

Contre-jour – Antonia Milcheva
Producer: Katya Trichkova – Contrast Films (Bulgaria)

Flowers of Farewell – Pavel Antonov
Producer: Inka Hietala – Into Films (Finland)

Hotel Moldau – Jan Švejkar
Producer: Petr Oplatka – Stairway Films (Czech Republic)

Nowhere In the World – Tomer Almagor
Producer: Doron Eran – Cinema Jet (USA/Israel)

The Force – Xavier Artigas
Producers: Carles Brugueras, Marieke van den Bersselaar, Aritz Cirbian, Eneko Gutierrez – Polar Star Films, Os Lo Dije (Spain)

The Kids Are Feral – Ben Thompson
Producer: Mathias Pachner – Independent (Scotland/Cyprus)

The Life and Times of Ion G. – Andreea Bortun
Producer: Gabriela Suciu – Atelier de Film (Romania)

The Passport – Rakan Mayasi
Producers: May Odeh, Zorana Mušikic – Mayana Films (Germany/Belgium/Palestina) 

Selected in partnership with Crossroads Co-production Forum:

Wish Me Goodnight – Sofia Babluani
Producer: François d'Artemare – Les Films de l'Après-Midi (France)

TV Series

Forest Whisper – Damián Vondrášek
Producer: Petr Oplatka – Stairway Films (Czech Republic)

Projects in Bank

Beyond the Clouds – Giorgi Babluani, Timur Babluani
Producer: Vladimer Katcharava – 20 Steps (Georgia)

Block Universe – Stefan Komandarev
Producer: Stefan Komandarev – Agro Film (Bulgaria)

Friends Birthday, Murder, etc – Dimitris Tsakaleas, Lida Vartzioti
Producer: Ioanna Bolomyti – Atlante Productions (Greece)

Selected in partnership with the Mediterranean Film Institute:

Last Fish – Andrey Paounov
Producer: Elitza Katzarska – Chicken Milk (Bulgaria)

Magdalena – Dimitar Kutmanov
Producers: Veselka Kiryakova – Red Carpet (Bulgaria)

Nora’s Music House – Ilina Perianova
Producer: Simona Ivanova – Miramar (Bulgaria)

Sun In Saturn – Ary Zara
Producer: Andreia Nunes – Wonder Maria Filmes (Portugal)

Selected in partnership with EAVE.

Works In Progress Selection

Alice’s Journey – Raul Garcia Rodriguez
Producer: Raul Garcia Rodriguez – Solaris Dreams Films (Colombia)

Another Father – Mariona Guiu
Producers: Belen Sancez Silvero, Mariona Guiu – Suricata Stories, Un capricho de producciones (Spain)

Ave Maria – Jacky Stoev, Nikolay Boshnakov
Producer: Ivan Tonev – Ars Digital Studio (Bulgaria)

Becaaria – Eric Bernasconi
Producers: Olga Lamontanara – Cinedokke (Switzerland)

Chica Checa – Simon Holy
Producer: Alzbeta Janackova – Silk Film (Czech Republic/France/Slovakia)

Doha – Eimi Imanishi
Producer: Belén Sánchez Silvero – Peculiar Films (Spain)

Dursht – Shadows of the Past – Aditya Chavan
Producer: Sachin Wagh – Tiger Talkies (India/USA)

Exotic – Sonja Orlewicz-Zakrzewska
Producers: Magdalena Sztorc, Anna Zajączkowska – Mozaika Films (Poland)

Jar of Time – Nevena Semova, Swapnil Arjun
Producer: Nevena Semova – Attic Films (Bulgaria)

Kabaddi – Palo José Meza
Producers: Natacha Rébora, Rocío Díaz Perez – Cinematres (Argentina, Brazil)

Land – Nikolay Todorov
Producer: Poli Angelova – Screening Emotions (Bulgaria)

The Moon Is a Father of Mine – George Ovashvili
Producers: George Ovashvili, Eike Goreczka, Christoph Kukula, Fabrizio Maltese, Karla Stojakova, Filip Todorov, Mesut Ulutas – Wagonnet Film (Georgia), 42FILM (Germany), Joli Rideau Media (Luxembourg), Axman (Czech Republic), Waterfront (Bulgaria), Seven Peas (Turkey)

The Sinless – Attila Hartung
Producer: Petra Ivanyi – Lupa Pictures (Hungary)

The Sweet Bitterness of Ripe Pomegranates – Andrey Volkashin
Producers: Elena Stanisheva, Poli Angelova & Nikolay Todorov, Zvonimir Munivrana – Studio Corvus (North Macedonia), Screening Emotions (Bulgaria), Veda Film Productions (Croatia)

This is Not Happening – Artur Wyrzykowski
Producer: Artur Wyrzykowski – Bold Humans (Poland)

Truth – Tonislav Hristov
Producer: Kaarle Aho – Making Movies Oy (Finland, Bulgaria)

Wild Is the Wind – Eloy Domínguez Serén
Producers: Felipe Lage Coro, Vicky Miha, Luís Costa, André Guiomar – Zeitun Films (Spain), Asterisk* (Greece), Olhar de Ulisses (Portugal)

Short Film Selection

Balkonada – Iva Tokmakchieva
Producer: Vessela Dantcheva – Compote Collective (Bulgaria)