site.btaMilko Lazarov's "The Herd" Wins Grand Prix at 4th Sveti Vlas Film Fest

Milko Lazarov's The Herd (worldwide title: Tarika) won the Grand Prix of the 4th Sveti Vlas Film Fest. On Saturday, Festival Director Daniela Dineva presented the prize, which was instituted at this edition.

Addressing the audience, Lazarov said: "I want to wish you something simple, yet important - to perceive cinema as art. I believe it will be so. I hope that the festival continues to grow, and that we meet more and more often here in Sveti Vlas."

Dimitar Dimitrov's Gundi: Legend of Love won the Best Film Award. The biopic chronicles the life of legendary footballer Georgi "Gundi" Asparuhov, from meeting his wife to his tragic death on June 30, 1971. The film broke the 500,000 ticket mark and secured a place among the top 20 box office successes in Bulgaria of all time. Presenting the award, National Film Centre Director Peter Todorov said: "I was here two years ago, and I can see how much this festival has grown. I congratulate the organizers, because I know how difficult it is to put on events outside Sofia. But I believe that very soon, this festival will stand alongside the leading ones in the country."

President Petar Stoyanov (1997-2002), who was a guest at the festival, stressed its cultural significance: "I believe that new European and Bulgarian stars will emerge from Sveti Vlas."

Dimitar Stoyanovich's Flesh won a newly instituted Debut Award, named after journalist Ivan Garelov. 

The Best Director Award went to Niki Iliev's Wingless. Emil Christov won the Best Cinematography Award for Wedlock.

The Best Actor Award went to Julian Vergov (Triumph). Plamena Getova won the Best Actress Award (Flesh).

The Best Screenplay Award went to Pavel Vesnakov, Simeon Ventsislavov, Teodora Markova, Nevena Kertova and Georgi Ivanov for Windless.