Kita 20 - page 9

I have started putting in a list (Kita’s Places) every restaurant or bar where I was impressed by the quality of its food and ambience. I started this about 5 years ago. Here are 20 European Kita’s Places: Wienna, Austria, Figlmüller wollzeile 5, +43 1 5126177 The classic Viennese schnitzel. Venezia, Italy, Osteria alla Bifora, Campo St. Margherita A stylish bistrot. Prosek (near Nish), Serbia, Cale Magistrale, +381 63453282, +38 18640300. A cult Serbian restaurant othe way to Belgrade. Belgrade, Serbia, Sheshir Moj, Skadarlija Str. My favorite restaurant in Belgrade. Brussels, Belgium, Le vieil Ixelles (Silva Rodrigues Orlando), Rue van AA, 36, Tel: 02/5133897, GSM: 0478 769676 (11-15; 18.30-24.00) A unique Portuguese family restaurant at the heart of Bruxelles. London, UK, Chinese Restaurant Four Seasons, Roast Duck Specialist (special roast duch from BBQ chapter), 23 Wardour Stret, +44 207 2879995. Thessaloniki, Greece, 4 Epohes, Paikoy I have discovered this free spirited place 10 years ago. Prague, Czech Republic, U Cherneho Vola, Tram 22, St. Pohorelec, Hradchany, Loteranske namesti 1 My favorite Prague beer place. Wiesbaden-Kloppenheim, Germany, Zum Schwanen, 8 Oberstrasse, Tel: +49 611 1 89420 A classic ramsteak restaurant. Cannes, France, Bar du Marin, 13, Rue Rougiere, 04 93 39 90 00 You can alywas find the three Stefans from The Festival Band in here during the Cannes festival. Adana, Turkey, Urfa Sofrasi, Ulucamii Mahallesi 25009 Sk. 35, Buyuk Saat Civari, Seyhan/Adana, +90 322 351 1031. The best kebab in Kebab's kingdom of Adana. Moscow, Club 'Majak', 19 Bolshaja Nikitska The club of the Russian Actor. Yerevan, Armenia, Dolmama, 10 Pushkin Str., tel: 56 13 54 If you can judge by the name, this is sarma's paradise. Rome, Italy, Trastevere, Trattoria da Enzo, Via dei Vascellari 29, Tel: +3965818355, Cell: +39 327 2092590. A small family restaurant. Sarajevo, Bosnia, 'Galatasaraj', 44, Gazi Husrev-begova, +387 33 535446 The best kebabche place in Sarajevo. Setubal, Portugal, Resturante D'Costa, Av. Louisa Todi, 54 A Setubal is the fish paradise. Warsaw, Poland, Antrakt (Antykwariat Cafe), Pl. Pilsudkjego 9, Tel: (+48 1 228276411) My place in Warsaw! Thessaloniki, Greece, Negroponte, 24 Egyptpu Str/Katouni 21, Ladadika, Kirgakos - knows best, Tel: 2310 523571 A traditional tavern. Paris, France, Le Relais Charbon (vins de Propriete), 38, Rue des Enterpreneurs (metro 10, Charles Michels station), tel: +33 1 4579 1902 (check Formule Bar). Little bistrot next to the Novotel hotel. Kiprinos (near Ivaylovgrad), Greece, To Steki (Zelios Tasos, owner), fish restaurant, tel: 255 6022562, mob. 6972726338 My latest discovery on the road from Greece to Bulgaria.

While I travel throughout Bulgaria, I love to discover places, which I enlist in my blackberry as Kita’s Place. This is a list of 20 restaurants and several bars. I have also included places from the past, which are no longer the same, but are still part of my memories. I live at the city's center, at 1, Kniaz Boris Str. As I travel a lot throughout the year, I love to stay at home when I am in Sofia. I work mostly from home and I go out rarely – mostly for meetings in the festival’s office or in a place nearby. That is why most of the places I visit, are on the first parallel street – „Tzar Assen“. Kita’s Shortlist of the neighbourhood places: „Fun Housе The Clock“, 81, Tzar Assen Str., Tel: +359 888 309 090. My favorite place for meetings, no matter personal or business. It is a tradition for me to meet here the International Jury. „Memory“, 66, Kniaz Boris I, Tel: +359 888 896 985, 02 952 6250. My favorite bar in the neighbourhood. „Sun and Moon“, 18-A, Gladstone Str., Tel: +359 895 648 477. A vegetarian restaurant with superb organic food and the best bread in Sofia. „Murphy’s”, 6, Karnigradska Str., Tel: +02 980 2870. The closest Irish pub, where I watch Berbatov play and drink dark beer. „Pastorant“, 16, Tzar Asen Str., Tel: + 359887 026 190. My favorite Italian restaurant in Bulgaria. And more: „Family“, Sofia, 52, Gladstone Str., Tel: +02 980 9012. We discovered this beer house with Mexican cuisine two years ago, in the summer – when we tried to quench our thirst with the Czech beer Konrad, we became fans forever. „Hambara“, Sofia, 22, 6th September. The incomparable and unique Sofia’s № 1 Bar. Outside the neighbourhood the classic Kita’s Place е: „Pod lipite“, Sofia, 1, Elin Pelin Str., Tel: +359 888 954 406. The elite restaurant with Bulgarian cuisine. This is the place for Sofia Meetings’ opening traditional dinner, which is one of the most impressive festival’s dinners. I have several favorite places outside Sofia as well, that I discovered after many trips mostly for our Sofia Film Fest on the Road festival: „Molerite“, Bansko, 41, Glazne Str., Tel: +359 888 844 944, (0)898 844 944, (0)887 844 944. My favorite Bulgarian mehana which we discovered with a great joy at the beginning of the 90s. It was in a 100-200 years old house at that time. Now it is a hotel with a restaurant and live music. „Istanbul“, Trakia highway, close to the tunel Trayanovi vrata, the owner is Zeku Okzus, Tel: +0899 255 595. The classical Turkish restaurant in Bulgaria. „Grolsch”, Burgas, The Park by the sea, Tel: +0894 383 634. I have been going in this beer house in the past 10 years, after Jordanka and Georgi Ingilizovi, Georgi Djulgerov and Boreto Chakrinov took me there for the first time. We visit it after the closing of Sofia Film Fest at the Coast and we were there even last spring, a month before Dancheto Ingilizova left us forever. „Erevan“, Plovdiv, 29, Otez Paisii Str., Tel: +0894 762 779. An Armenian restaurant with tasty cuisine. „Naylova“, Plovdiv, 7, Benkovski Str., Bar № 1 in Plovdid. An underground athmosphere, a bit laid-back, but stylish and tasteful, that hasn’t been changed for decades by the owner Vozhda. „Stara Varna“, Varna, 5, Tzar Kaloyan Str., Tel: +052 654065, 0887 280 697. A very interesting photography museum on the first floor of a house in the town’s Greek quarter with a spending winehouse in the basement. of the „Buhchevata kashta“, Stara Zagora, 52, Ivan Shishman Str., Tel: +0896 103 992, 0542 600 570 Over 100 years old and a rare example of art nouveau. A rich and quality menu in an elegant and tasteful athmosphere. „Nikulden“, Silistra, 2, Pristanishtna, +086 822 214 Silistra’s fish restaurant. „Malkiat Inter“, Veliko Tarnovo, 22, Ivan Vazon Str., Tel: +0885 152 722. A wonderful as a bar and as a restaurant. „Hadzhivelinov Han“, Bozentsi, Tel: +0885 333 148. You can trust the chef and don’t miss the rakiya that the owner Velin would suggest to you. And two places from the past: „Banska kashta Mile Popyordanov“, Sofia, 5, Vasil Drumev Str. Now the restaurant is called „Veliko Tarnovo“. I still remember it as it was in the mid 90s. We dined, we sang with unforgettable clarinetist Malaka. „Otvad aleyata zad shkafa“, Sofia, 31, Budapeshta Str. This elite Sofia restaurant is now gone. It is now called „Adi's Cook & Book“, Tel: +359 882 686 802, 0898 686 802. „Otvad aleyata“ made happy our most demanding guests. Konchalovsky went there twice, so did Otar Iosseliani.

The Festival band is something Sofia Film Fest can't breathe without. Ever since the days of the first two Rock Film Fests the band has been part of the events we hold, represented by at least Kita and Pesheto. In 1993 and 1994 we had remarkable concerts with Radio Tangra in the Summer theater. Since 1997 the so-called Festival band performs at the closing of each festival edition. The band is internationally famous due to the participation of the other two Stefans apart from Kitanov - Stephane Laudin (Warsaw film festival director) and Stefan Uhrik (Prague film festival). The two main members of the band are Kita and Pesheto. Through the years we’ve had also Vassil Giurov, Kiki (Kiril Stoyankov), Angel Kasparyanov, Dimitar Argirov, Nuffry, Dakata, Lyubaka, Valdi, Kiril Marichkov, Stefan Valdobrev, Vasko the Patch, Sancho Finzi, Dieter Kosslick and, of course, the festival director Ivaylo Kraychovski-Pifa perform. Here are some of the tracks the Festival band has often played: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles Drive My Car – The Beatles Roadhouse Blues – The Doors Come Together – The Beatles Jumpng Jack Flash – The Rolling Stones Born To Be Wild Message in a Bottle - Police Desire – U2 One – U2 Helter Skelter – The Beatles Cinnamon Girl – Neil Young Purple Haze – Jimi Hendrix Rock'n'Roll – Led Zeppelin Should I Stay or Should I Go – The Clash All Along the Watchtower – Bob Dylan Suzie Q – Creedence Clearwater Revival My My Hey Hey – Neil Young Like A Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan Mrs Robinson – Simon and Garfunkel The Boxer – Simon and Garfunkel

The garden in the courtyard of the building where Kita lives is an oasis in the centre of Sofia. Only 5 minutes away from the NPC, the garden will make someone believe that it is actually in a small town. After the yard was cleaned, a wall was built and a grass was planted, the actor Mihail Bilalov, who is also a landscape arcitect, suggested which plants where to be arranged, during the shooting of Which Way Today. There is a variety of plants in the garden, such as: a magnolia, three hibiscuses, two leanders, a yew, a maple tree, two cypresses, two euonimuses, two thujas, a boxshrub, a barberry,virgin's bowers, an Oregon grape, Ilex vomitoria, forsythia, roses, hortensia, fuchsia, Impatiens and begonias, lilium, tulips, daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops.

20 selected international festivals, which the Sofia International Film Festival visits through the year: Rotterdam – January Berlin – February Istanbul – April Wiesbaden – April Cannes – May Cluj – June Moscow – June Karlovy Vary – June Sarajevo – July Yerevan – July Jerusalem – July Locarno – August Venice – August/September San Sebastian – September Warsaw – October Ghent – October London – October Cottbus – November Thessaloniki – November Talinn – November/December SIFF's director Stefan Kitanov and SIFF's deputy director and head of Sofia Meetings, Mira Staleva, travel mostly on those festivals. In some years, the list varies and the festivals in the following cities could be visited instead some of the above mentioned: Trieste, Plzen, Vilnius, Vologda, Odessa, Sankt Peterburg, London, Mar De Plata, Gijon, Lece, Bari, Adana, Torino, etc.

Sofia International Film Festival has been traveling in Bulgaria for years now and has had editions in 20 towns so far: Burgas – since 2003 Plovdiv – since 2006 Russe – first screening in an open air in 2007, Sofia Film Fest on the Road edition in 2009 Kozlodui – singular screenings since 2009 Stara Zagora – since 2010 Varna – since 2010 Blagoevgrad – since 2010 Gabrovo – since 2010 Sliven – since 2010 Dobrich – since 2010 Sozopol – since 2010 Malko Tarnovo – a special screening in 2011 Godech – a special screening in 2011 Chernomorets – a special screening in 2011 Targovishte – since 2012 Veliko Tarnovo – since 2012 Kazanlak – since 2012 Pomorie – since 2012 Lozenetz – since 2012 Tran – a special screening in 2012

The Sofia Award for outstanding contribution in cinema is a joint initiative of Sofia Municipality and Sofia International Film Festival . The award was first handed out in 2005 by the Mayor of Sofia under whose patronage the festival takes place. Since then, 72 individuals from Bulgarian and international cinema were honored with the prestigious award. Peter Greenaway , director (UK) Rangel Valchanov , director (Bulgaria) Volker Schlondorf , director (Germany) Terry Jones , director (UK) Sir Alan Parker , director (UK) Nikolay Volev , director (Bulgaria) Vanessa Redgrave , actress (UK) Theo Angelopoulos , director (Greece) Lyudmil Staykov , director (Bulgaria) Wim Wenders , director (Germany) Jiří Menzel , director (Czech Republic) Vladislav Ikonomov , director (Bulgaria) Nikita Mikhalkov , director/actor/scriptwriter (Russia) Milcho Leviev , composer (Bulgaria, USA) Jean-Claude Carrière , scriptwriter (France) Miki Manojlvic , actor (Serbia) Nikola Korabov , director (Bulgaria) Michael Palin , actor, scriptwriter and TV presenter (UK) Bozhidar Petkov , composer (Bulgaria) Giuliano Montaldo , director (Italy) Tony Palmer , director (UK) Jan Troell , director (Sweden) Sergei Solovyov , director (Russia) Otar Iossealiani , director (Georgia, France) Rousy Chanev , actor, screenwriter (Bulgaria) Claudia Cardinale , actress (Italy) Claude Lelouch , director (France) Nuri Bilge Ceylan , director (Turkey) Gueorgui Stoyanov , director (Bulgaria) Danis Tanović , director (Bosna and Herzegovina) Hugh Hudson , director (UK) Itzhak Finzi , actor (Bulgaria) Costa Gavras , director (France) Paolo and Vittorio Taviani , directors (Italy) Jos Stelling , director (Netherlands) Dusan Hanak , director (Slovakia) Prof. Georgi Djulgerov , director (Bulgaria) Goran Paskaljevic , director (UK) Ivan Ivanov , actor (Bulgaria) Franco Nero , actor (Italy) In Memoriam KARL ‘BAUMI’ BAUMGARTNER Nana Djordjadze , director (Georgia) Ted Kotcheff , director (Canada, Bulgaria) Georgi Stoev - Jecky, director (Bulgaria) Georgi Penkov - Johny, sound engineer (Bulgaria) Hristo Iliev - Charli, screenwriter (Bulgaria) Bela Tarr , director (Hungary) Terry Gilliam , director (USA, Great Britain) Stoyanka Mutafova , actress (Bulgaria) John Savage , actor (USA) Agnieszka Holland , director (Полша) Adela Peeva , director (Bulgaria) Vasil Mihaylov , actor (Bulgaria) Abel Ferrara , director (USA) Roman Balayan , director (Ukraine) Krzysztof Zanussi , director (Poland) Bille August , director (Denmark) Kiril Marichkov , musician and composer (Bulgaria) Anri Koulev , animator and director (Bulgaria) Theodosii Spassov , musician and composer (Bulgaria) Mika Kaurismäki , director (Finland) Jafar Panahi , director (Iran) Angel Wagenstein , screenwriter and writer (Bulgaria) Iglika Trifonova , director (Bulgaria) Radoslav Spassov , cinematographer, director, writer, producer (Bulgaria) Geraldine Chaplin , actress (USA) Margarethe von Trotta , director and actress (Germany) Georgi Todorov-Jozi , artist (Bulgaria) Tzvetana Maneva , actress (Bulgaria) Iossif Sarchadzhiev , director and actor (Bulgaria) Rajko Grlić , director (Croatia)