SOFIA: Bulgaria’s most important governmental institutions and cultural organizations will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Bulgarian cinema today, 13 January, which has been designated as the official Day of Bulgarian Cinema.

PLOVDIV: The jury of the 21st edition of the Bulgarian national film festival for documentary and animated films Golden Rhyton which ran through 6 December 2014 chose The Last Black Sea Pirates directed by Svetoslav Stoyanovand produced by Agitprop as Best documentary.

SOFIA: Bulgaria’s capital Sofia was officially announced as a City of Film, part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova, personally presented the official certificate to the Mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova.

PLOVDIV: The 21st edition of the most important national film festival for documentary and animated films Golden Rhyton, which kicks off on 1 December 2014 in Plovdiv, will screen over 100 films during six days.

SOFIA: The 28th edition of the annual film fest Cinemania, running in the three biggest Bulgarian towns of Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna, is showing 57 new international hits and auteur films in new or renovated theatres.

SOFIA: Sculptor Vezhdi Rashidov was officially announced as Minister of Culture on 7 November 2014 in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. Rashidov was in Borissov’s first cabinet between July 2009 and March 2013.

VARNA: Stefan Komandarev’s The Judgment was awarded the most prestigious Bulgarian award for a feature film at the 32 edition of the Golden Rose Film Festival. Assen Blatechki also received the award for Best Actor for his role in the film.

VARNA: Scriptwriter/director Maya Vitkova’s film portrays the first decade after the communist era through a story of a girl born with no umbilical cord. Viktoria screens at the Varna Golden Rose Film Festival 11-17 October 2014.

VARNA: The Lesson was inspired by the real story of a teacher caught in a bank robbery attempt. Scriptwriters/directors/producers Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov focused their debut feature on a fictional English teacher from a high school near Sofia. The Lesson screens in the main competition of the Varna Golden Rose Film Festival (11-17 October 2014).

VARNA: The first Bulgarian/Israeli coproduction is representing Bulgaria at the Academy Awards nominations for Best Foreign Language Film. Ivan Nichev’s Bulgarian Rhapsody screens in the main competition of the Varna Golden Rose Film Festival (11-17 October 2014).