Thirteen of the feature films are supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center. Eight films from the official competition are international coproductions: five have majority and the other three have minority Bulgarian participation.
Five feature competition films are debuts for their Bulgarian-born directors.
The festival opened on 19 September 2024 at the Festival and Congress Centre in Varna with the screening of the Palme d'or winner for short film in 2024, The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent by Nebojša Slijepčević, which is a coproduction between Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovenia and France.
The highlights of the festival include special screenings of emblematic Bulgarian feature films made in the first years after the fall of the Socialist Regime, with a live commentary screening of Running Dogs (1989) by Lyudmil Todorov.
The panel discussion “Antifascism in Cinema. Poland and Bulgaria” will be accompanied by the screening of Binka Zhelyazkova’s The Last Word (1974), which was selected for the Cannes Film Festival, and it is part of the official tribute honouring the 80th birthday of renowned Bulgarian actress Tzvetana Maneva, whose image has inspired the festival's official poster.
The Golden Rose National Film Festival, organised by the Bulgarian National Film Center with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Varna Municipality, is the most important public event dedicated to all forms of Bulgarian feature film production. The festival was created in 1961 and is traditionally held in Varna.
Feature Film Competition:
Triumph (Bulgaria, Greece)
Directed by Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov
Produced by Abraxas Film
Coproduced by Graal Films, Five Oceans, Red Carpet, Dystopia Films
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, Eurimages, the Bulgarian National Television, the Greek Film Centre, the Greek National Television ERT, Creative Europe MEDIA, American Foundation for Bulgaria, CCU
Windless (Bulgaria, Italy)
Directed by Pavel G. Vesnakov
Produced by Red Carpet
Coproduced by dispàrte
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Ministry of Culture of Italy, Eurimages
The Trap (Bulgaria, Germany)
Directed by Nadejda Koseva
Produced by Borough Film
Coproduced by Coin Film Germany, the Bulgarian National Television, Right Solutions, Kinolight, Maxim 15, Magic Shop, Doli Media Studio
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center
The Answer to All Questions (Bulgaria, Italy)
Directed by Dimitar Kotsev-Shosho
Produced by Kontraplan
Coproduced by Nexus TV
Supported by the National Culture Fund of Bulgaria, MIA Market – Rome, the Bulgarian National Film Center (for distribution)
Before I Forget (Bulgaria)
Directed by Stanislav Donchev
Produced by Dynamic Arts
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center
Because I Love Bad Weather (Bulgaria)
Directed by Yana Lekarska
Produced by Invictus – Kalinov Brothers
Coproduced by Transformers, Evala, Pro Films, K. F. Pro 13
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center
Arcadia (Greece, Bulgaria)
Directed by Yorgos Zois
Produced by Foss Productions, Homemade Films
Coproduced by Red Carpet
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, Eurimages, the Greek Film Centre, Ekome, Flux Laboratory Athens, Onassis Cultural Center
Citizen Saint (Georgia, France, Bulgaria)
Directed by Tinatin Kajrishvili
Produced by Artizm
Coproduced by Gemini, Mandra Films, Chouchkov Brothers
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, Eurimages, Creative Europe MEDIA Programme
The Capture (Bulgaria, Romania)
Directed by Adi Voicu
Produced by Axel Film
Coproduced by Contrast Films
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Romanian Film Centre
Bo Nan Za (Bulgaria)
Directed by Andrey Getov
Produced by CinEye Pictures
Coproduced by Mono Collective, Concept Studio, Sonus, Brod Film
Wedlock (Bulgaria)
Directed by Magdalena Ralcheva
Produced by Nuance Film
Coproduced by the Bulgarian National Television, Nu Boyana Film, Kinolight, Sonus, Right Solutions
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center
Bring Me Home (Bulgaria)
Directed by Martin Genovski
Produced by the Bulgarian National Television
Coproduced by Prophoton
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center
Class 90 (Bulgaria)
Directed by Boiko Boyanov
Produced by Miramar Film
Coproduced by the Bulgarian National Television
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center
Wingless (Bulgaria)
Directed by Niki Iliev
Produced by Silver Light Pictures
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, Burgas Municipality
Don’t Close Your Eyes (Bulgaria)
Directed by Martin Ralchevski
Produced by Itchy Rodent Films, Sinarhia
End of the River (Bulgaria, Ukraine)
Directed by Vasil Barkov
Produced by Magic Mount
Coproduced by Odesa Film Production
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, the State Film Agency of Ukraine, the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, Odesa Film Studio
