site.btaFilmmaker Milena Milotinova: The Magic of Bulgarian Horo Unites People Worldwide

Documentary filmmaker Milena Milotinova described Bulgarian folk dance as a magical force that unites people around the world, speaking to BTA on Sunday.

She shared her impressions after the Sofia premiere of her documentary “The Magic of the Bulgarian Horo,” which took place during the Fourth Meeting of Heads of Bulgarian Folklore Ensembles Abroad.

Milotinova said that after the premiere in Sofia, the emotions were intense and energizing. She admitted she never expected to make a film that would impact her so deeply, adding that each presentation feels like experiencing it for the first time.

Milotinova emphasized how important it was for her to see the reaction of Bulgarians preserving folklore abroad. She said she was glad the audience in the hall experienced the film along with her, through applause, comments, smiles, tears, and strong emotions. What moved her most, Milotinova added, was that the guests stood up to applaud at the end, which she described as a great reward for her team’s hard work. “Maybe we really did capture the essence of what they do, and the magic they create through their dances,” she said.

Milotinova defined her documentary as a message about Bulgarian culture, originality, and identity. She noted that this film is different from anything she has done before, as it embodies the magic of music and dance.

She was pleasantly surprised to see how many foreigners now dance Bulgarian horo [folk chain dance], many not only know the steps but also often lead the horo, she said. Milotinova explained that the film follows the lives of Bulgarian communities abroad, for whom folklore has become the core of their national belonging.

Asked whether today’s journalism in Bulgaria helps preserve cultural memory, Milotinova remarked: “Journalists are those who work with information and can contribute greatly to safeguarding cultural memory.”

Recalling an example from the Bulgarian National Revival, she said that in the past, publicists were the greatest awakeners and guardians of Bulgarian identity. “I would appreciate it if this subject continued to receive regular coverage in the media, alongside the constant stream of political and economic news,” Milotinova added.

She added that the film also had a profound impact on her: “I saw Bulgarians living abroad in a new way. They have different professions, but folklore brings them together, they dance once or twice a week with great pleasure and inspire their families and local people to join.”

Milotinova said she would like to make a sequel to the film, and there are already more materials and ideas, as well as “many more stories that deserve to be told.”

At the end of the interview, Milotinova sent a message to Bulgarians in Bulgaria and abroad: “Children must get to know Bulgarian folklore from an early age. Sometimes I feel foreigners value it more than we do. Yet it is an immense national treasure.”