site.bta"Bulgarian Crafts: Documentary and Short Films": Journey Through National Identity

A programme titled "Bulgarian Crafts: Documentary and Short Films" offers a journey into the Bulgarian identity through six selected short films, all awarded at prestigious festivals, organizers from Kinematograf said.

Three screenings are scheduled: in Burgas on January 9, in Dobrich on January 15, and at the Travellers' Club in Sofia on January 19.

Embroidery, stone carving and rakiya production are among the crafts showcased in this selection of ancient knowledge and traditions. Crafts are both heritage and culture: the wisdom of the hands passed down from generation to generation, from master to apprentice, simultaneously refining and preserving them, the organizers from Kinematograf said.

The following films will be screened: Breaking, Silvia Cherneva's short film about the story of a student at the Stone Masonry School in the village of Kunino, Vratsa Region; The Path of the Stone, Eliza Kesedjian and Yulia Grozdanova's documentary about the life and work of Bulgarian sculptor Ognyan Chitakov, aka Ognen Chitak; Fiery Water, Sava Ivanov's documentary about rakiya production; The Last Master of Hlopki, Dimitar Bogoslovov's film about the almost forgotten tradition of making cowbells; and Thread, Mihail Atanasov's film about carpets from the heart of the Rhodopi Mountains.

Secrets of Bukhara is the only film in the programme not focused on a Bulgarian craft. It explores some of the silk handicrafts in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Shot by a Bulgarian crew, the film highlights similarities in the traditional aesthetics of Uzbekistan and Bulgaria.