The Sofia International Film Festival Competition for first and second feature films includes 12 titles from around the world, which will be judged by a jury chaired by Oscar-nominated director Milcho Manchevski. In addition to the already announced films "The Good Driver" by Tonislav Hristov (Finland-Bulgaria) and "The Art of Falling" by Orlin Milchev, we present 6 more intriguing works.
"Roving Woman" by Polish director Michal Chmielewski is a debut co-production between Poland and the USA, made with the support of Wim Wenders, who serves as executive producer. Hmielewski is a Polish director, screenwriter, and photographer, author of music videos, and short and experimental films that have been presented and awarded at many festivals around the world. The story of his feature debut was inspired by the mysterious disappearance of singer Connie Converse in 1974. The film is a kind of road movie in the same vein as Wenders' "Paris, Texas", following the protagonist Sarah in her aimless wanderings, chance encounters, and fleeting relationships that provoke her to search for her place in the world...
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The focus of Iranian director Nader Saeivar's German-Iranian-Turkish co-production "No End" is on human relationships and the refraction of reality through lies. Ayaz's life turns into hell after he succumbs to the provocations of the secret police and becomes an informer. "No End" is the second film for writer-director Saywar, who along with Jafar Panahi, who consulted on the film, won the Best Screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival for "Three Faces".
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In German director Joachim Neef's debut "Nightwatch" a young man is on probation following a manslaughter conviction. When he is released from prison early, Paul takes a job as a night watchman at a university until he finds a permanent place to study. Left without a purpose and tormented by memories, he tries to fit into society, but the demons of his past won't leave him alone. Joachim Neef has worked on commercial and independent film projects as a director and editor; his name is on commercials for BMW, McDonald's, Barbour, and Williams F1 Racing. His debut film was produced by his company Blue Hour Films.
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Maayan Rypp's impressive debut, "The Other Widow" is "an elegant and empathetic portrait of that most reviled of female characters, the 'other woman,' combining vivid, detailed character traits with appropriate theatrical profligacy to compelling effect," says Screen Daily. Costume designer Ella boldly decides to attend Shiva's seven-day mourning at the home of the late playwright Assaf, with whom she was a longtime lover. Grief brings Ella closer to the widow and the director's brother until the moment the truth of the secret relationship comes to light, which can blow up the ritual and jeopardize the premiere of the new play on which Assaf and Ella worked.
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The action in Bekir Bulbul's "Cloves and Carnations" takes place in southeastern Anatolia. The protagonist Musa carries the corpse of his deceased wife along with his granddaughter. Lack of funds forces him to seek casual transportation along the way. The situation is complicated as their home village is on the border where a war is being fought. The filmmaker studied theatre at the University of Istanbul, then taught film and theatre and participated in the making of several short films before debuting with My Little Words in 2018. "Pinch of Carnation" is his second film.
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The Mexico-Italy co-production "Red Shoes" is the feature debut of Carlos Eichelmann Kaiser. He was born in Mexico and studied directing and producing in Madrid. Between 2006 and 2010, he worked as an executive producer of television series, and in 2011 he founded Wabi Productions, which produced Trisha Ziff's documentary "The Man Who Saw Too Much" (2016). In 2018 during a literary workshop led by Michael Rowe. "The Red Shoes tells the story of an elderly peasant living in the Mexican mountains who is forced to travel to the capital to bury his daughter, who died in tragic circumstances. Along the way, he encounters a brutal and unfamiliar world but also finds a new friendship.
The other participants in the International Competition of the 27th Sofia International Film Festival will be presented further.
We are looking forward to seeing you at #CINEMA!
#27SofiaIFF
"Roving Woman" by Polish director Michal Chmielewski is a debut co-production between Poland and the USA, made with the support of Wim Wenders, who serves as executive producer. Hmielewski is a Polish director, screenwriter, and photographer, author of music videos, and short and experimental films that have been presented and awarded at many festivals around the world. The story of his feature debut was inspired by the mysterious disappearance of singer Connie Converse in 1974. The film is a kind of road movie in the same vein as Wenders' "Paris, Texas", following the protagonist Sarah in her aimless wanderings, chance encounters, and fleeting relationships that provoke her to search for her place in the world...
* * *
The focus of Iranian director Nader Saeivar's German-Iranian-Turkish co-production "No End" is on human relationships and the refraction of reality through lies. Ayaz's life turns into hell after he succumbs to the provocations of the secret police and becomes an informer. "No End" is the second film for writer-director Saywar, who along with Jafar Panahi, who consulted on the film, won the Best Screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival for "Three Faces".
* * *
In German director Joachim Neef's debut "Nightwatch" a young man is on probation following a manslaughter conviction. When he is released from prison early, Paul takes a job as a night watchman at a university until he finds a permanent place to study. Left without a purpose and tormented by memories, he tries to fit into society, but the demons of his past won't leave him alone. Joachim Neef has worked on commercial and independent film projects as a director and editor; his name is on commercials for BMW, McDonald's, Barbour, and Williams F1 Racing. His debut film was produced by his company Blue Hour Films.
* * *
Maayan Rypp's impressive debut, "The Other Widow" is "an elegant and empathetic portrait of that most reviled of female characters, the 'other woman,' combining vivid, detailed character traits with appropriate theatrical profligacy to compelling effect," says Screen Daily. Costume designer Ella boldly decides to attend Shiva's seven-day mourning at the home of the late playwright Assaf, with whom she was a longtime lover. Grief brings Ella closer to the widow and the director's brother until the moment the truth of the secret relationship comes to light, which can blow up the ritual and jeopardize the premiere of the new play on which Assaf and Ella worked.
* * *
The action in Bekir Bulbul's "Cloves and Carnations" takes place in southeastern Anatolia. The protagonist Musa carries the corpse of his deceased wife along with his granddaughter. Lack of funds forces him to seek casual transportation along the way. The situation is complicated as their home village is on the border where a war is being fought. The filmmaker studied theatre at the University of Istanbul, then taught film and theatre and participated in the making of several short films before debuting with My Little Words in 2018. "Pinch of Carnation" is his second film.
* * *
The Mexico-Italy co-production "Red Shoes" is the feature debut of Carlos Eichelmann Kaiser. He was born in Mexico and studied directing and producing in Madrid. Between 2006 and 2010, he worked as an executive producer of television series, and in 2011 he founded Wabi Productions, which produced Trisha Ziff's documentary "The Man Who Saw Too Much" (2016). In 2018 during a literary workshop led by Michael Rowe. "The Red Shoes tells the story of an elderly peasant living in the Mexican mountains who is forced to travel to the capital to bury his daughter, who died in tragic circumstances. Along the way, he encounters a brutal and unfamiliar world but also finds a new friendship.
The other participants in the International Competition of the 27th Sofia International Film Festival will be presented further.
We are looking forward to seeing you at #CINEMA!
#27SofiaIFF