20/03/2017 - The vast majority of the festival’s prizes went to European productions

Director Ralitza Petrova (front left) and producer Rossitsa Valkanova receiving the Grand Prix

A Bulgarian story has triumphed at the Sofia International Film Festival for the third year in a row: after The Lesson [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kristina Grozeva, Petar Val…
interview: Margita Gosheva
film profile] (2015) and Zhaleika [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (2016), this year’s Sofia City of Film Grand Prix Award has gone to Ralitza Petrova’s Godless [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ralitza Petrova
film profile]. During a gala held on Saturday evening, the jury chaired by Romanian director Cristi Puiu handed over a host of awards, the majority of them received by European features.

In addition to the movies that scooped accolades, Polish director Agnieszka Holland, Bulgarian actress Stoyanka Mutafova, Bulgarian director Adela Peeva and US actor John Savage received the Sofia Award for their contribution to world cinema.

Here is the full list of award winners:

Sofia City of Film Grand Prix Award
Godless [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ralitza Petrova
film profile] - Ralitza Petrova (Bulgaria)

Special Jury Award
The Last Family [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dawid Ogrodnik
film profile] - Jan P Martuszynski (Poland)

Best Director
Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross - My Happy Family [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon G…
film profile] (Germany/Georgia/France)

Special Mention
Actress Mia Petricevic - Quit Staring at My Plate [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hana Jušić
film profile] (Croatia/Denmark)

Best Bulgarian Short
Clothes - Vesselin Boydev

Best Bulgarian Short - Special Mention
Travelling Country - Vessela Dantcheva, Ivan Bogdanov

Audience Award
Sing Street [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - John Carney (Ireland/UK/USA)

Audience Award for a Bulgarian Film
Lift for Patients [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Iglika Triffonova

Best Documentary
Tempest - Tatiana Huezo (Mexico)

Best Documentary Special Mention
Village People [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Tsvetan Dragnev (Bulgaria)

Best Balkan Film
Glory [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Petar Valchanov
interview: Petar Valchanov, Kristina G…
film profile] - Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov (Bulgaria)

Best Bulgarian Film
Godless - Ralitza Petrova

FIPRESCI Award
Requiem for Mrs. J [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bojan Vuletić
film profile] - Bojan Vuletic (Serbia/Bulgaria/Macedonia)

Young Jury Award
Groom's Block [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Ilker Savaskurt (Turkey/UK)