site.bta"The Herd" Wins Best Feature Award at Bulgarian National Film Festival
The Best Feature Film Award at the National Festival of Bulgarian Cinema went to The Herd. The Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers presented its 2026 Vasil Gendov Awards at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre on Sunday.
A total of 112 films were submitted to the festival: 18 feature films, 54 documentaries, 24 short features and 16 animated films competing across categories.
In 2026, the National Festival of Bulgarian Cinema - Vasil Gendov Awards marked a historic precedent. For the first time in its history, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to two distinguished figures - composer Kiril Donchev and screenwriter Hristo Iliev-Charli for their outstanding contribution to Bulgarian cinema.
Vasil Gendov (1891-1970) wrote, directed and had a starring role in the first feature film released in Bulgaria, the 1915 silent comedy Balgaran e galant (Bulgaran Is Gallant).
The Best Feature Film award went to The Herd, while the jury's Special Award for feature film was presented to Lust.
Zahari Baharov won the Best Actor Award, and Gergana Pletnyova took the Best Actress Award.
In the short feature category, Eraserhead in a Knitted Shopping Bag won Best Short Film, while Chapter 6 received the jury's Special Diploma.
The documentary In Hell with Ivo was awarded Best Documentary, while the jury's Special Award went to Welcome to Sinagovci.
The Sofia Municipality Award for a film with the most significant social message was presented to Tonislav Hristov for Truth or Dare.
Nevena Semova received the Best Documentary Debut Award for Jar of Time.
The Best Animated Film Award went to Balconada.
The Best Animated Debut Award was presented to Sofia Sokerova and Sonya Ranova for Under and Over the Bed.
Ivan Veselinov received the jury's Special Award for the animated film Kumir (Idol).
/DD/
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