Works by Marco Bellocchio, Kore-eda Hirokazu and Alice Rohrwacher from Cannes '23 will meet the Bulgarian audience at the 28th Sofia Film Fest

The 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival presented a remarkable programme in May 2023. Among the films to be seen at the Sofia Film Fest in March 2024 are the latest works by Marco Bellocchio, Hirokazu Koreeda and Alice Rohrwacher.

At the heart of the plot of Italian doyen Marco Bellocchio's "Kidnapped" is the true story of a Jewish boy - in 1858, the papal authorities in Bologna kidnapped him from his family. The fanatical members of the Inquisition believed that the parents would "sacrifice" the child, secretly baptized by his nanny, and seized the chance to teach the Jewish community a lesson. The boy is raised as a fierce adherent of Catholicism and accepts the mission to be a priest. Master director Bellocchio creates a compelling political crime story that exposes the tyranny, bigotry and abuse of power in the Catholic Church.

"Monster" is a work by the renowned Japanese master Kore-eda, awarded the Best Screenplay prize at Cannes 2023 and the Queer Palm Award. It follows the relationship between a mother concerned about her son and his school environment. As the story unfolds for viewers through the eyes of the mother, the teacher and the child, the truth about the boy's strange behavior gradually emerges... A story like this could happen anywhere in the world - Koreeda's narratives are filled with warmth, a sense of human imperfection, understanding and compassion.

Set in Tuscany in the 1980s, Alice Rohrwacher's latest captivating and romantic film, "La Chimera" follows a lovelorn Englishman who robs historical artifacts in Italy with the help of a bizarre band of crooks. The work is an eccentric fantasy-comedy about lost love: chatty, loud and festive, in the director's distinctive, recognisable style - the plot is full of life and with characters who fight, sing, steal and remove the 'fourth wall' with ease to address the audience directly. The lead role is entrusted to the young, talented British actor Josh O'Connor, and in addition to a Palme d'Or nomination, "La Chimera" received the Best Film prize at the Valladolid Film Festival in October 2023, as well as the Audience Award for Best Film at the São Paulo Film Festival, November 2023.