Over 35 European distributors will exchange information on various strategies for film programming and innovative ways for attracting audiences. This is a first collaboration between Europa Cinemas and Sofia Meetings. The other significant event, related to the circulation of European films in Europe will be the Europa Distribution workshop, is focussed on children and youth audiences.

With the participation of EACEA Head of Promotion, Training and Festivals Soon-Mi Peten the Creative Europe Desk-Bulgaria is organizing an information day for funding and training opportunities during the next seven years. According to Mira Staleva, Head of Sofia Meetings, “This cooperation is important and we intend to maintain it.” She added, “Over 60 per cent of the 11th Sofia Meetings projects come from South Eastern Europe, and this is a stable tendency.”

Three new Bulgarian projects will be discovered in the Second Films section: Call Me Shakespeare by director Valery Yordanov’s (Sneakers), produced by Chouchkov Bros; I Want To Be Like You by director Konstantin Bojanov’s (Ave), produced by Multfilmand KB Projects East; and Nanook by director Milko Lazarov’s (Alienation), produced by Red Carpet Films.

Stefan Komandarev, whose latest coproduction The Judgement, coproduced by Argo Film, Neue Mediopolis Filmroduktion, Propeler Film and Sektor Film opened the Sofia IFF, will also present a new project: The Other Man, produced by Argo Film.

For the first time, HungarianFilmlab will give a postproduction services award valued at 10,000 EUR. It will be presented to the best second film project.