Out of the 14 Bulgarian feature films which were planned to be produced in 2010, just six were completed and only three were distributed in a very visible way by A Plus (www.facebook.com/aplusfilms) and Pro Films (www.profilms.bg). Thanks to a spectacular long term advertising campaign organised by A Plus and the private national channel BTV as media partner Mission London (www.mission-london.com) by Dimitar Mitovski became the 2010 national box office topper. The same company distributed Zvetodar Markov's HD film Hunting Down Small Predators, which managed to attract young audiences to the theatres. Pro Films (www.profilms.bg) distributed Glass River by Stanimir Trifonov.
Because film funding was halted in the middle of 2010, the quantity of new Bulgarian films in the near future is expected to decrease. However the success of Mission London has encouraged the film industry with a new audience interest in national films.
Thanks to a fresh positive attitude in 2011, both distribution companies are committed to supporting Bulgarian films.
On 28 January 2011 Pro Films will begin screenings of the audience award of the 29th "Golden Rose" Varna National Film Festival, Footsteps in the Sand (www.imdb-bg.net) by scriptwriter/director Ivailo Hristov. The film will be distributed with nine 35mm prints and at least 2 DCP. After the theatrical distribution the film will be broadcast by the private TV channels NovaTV (www.novatv.bg) and Diema (www.diema.bg).
A Plus will follow with Viktor Chouchkov Jr.'s ambitious debut Tilt (www.tilt.bg) beginning on 11 February 2011. Of 23 prints to be distributed, 15 will be 35mm and 8 will be DCP. The film will be broadcast by Bulgarian National Television and will be screened at the Berlinale European Film Market (www.efm-berlinale.de).
The two companies are financing the distribution with their own funds. "The NFC does not dispose with money for financial support. In the case of Footsteps in the Sand the total distribution budget is €70,000," Pro Films managing director Emil Simeonov told FNE.
