The annual national film awards were previously decided by the Union of the Bulgarian Filmmakers (http://www.filmmakersbg.org ) through 2005, from 2006 to 2008 by the National Film Center (http://www.nfc.bg/), and in 2009 by the two bodies together.

The Academy will function under new rules agreed upon by the nearly 500 representatives from all professions in cinema.

NFC director Alexander Donev said that the 2009 national film awards will be decided during the first half of 2010 and will be announced on June 3, during international film festival of European coproductions, organized by the institution.

The awards are usually announced on January 13 (the anniversary of the premiere of the first Bulgarian film in 1915). This year the anniversary was celebrated by short presentations of forthcoming features and documentaries.