site.btaDocumentary about Bulgarian Singer-Songwriter Ivo Dimchev Wins Special Jury Award in Sarajevo

Kristina Nikolova's documentary In Hell With Ivo won the Special Jury Award at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival, which ended on Friday night, the festival's website said. The film, which had its world premiere in Munich on May 9, follows the eccentric Bulgarian choreographer, visual artist and singer-songwriter Ivo Dimchev, known for provocative performances that explore non-traditional sexuality and identity.

Two more films with Bulgarian participation also received recognition. Serbian actor Andrija Kuzmanovic was named Best Actor for his role in Yugo Florida, the debut feature of Serbian director Vladimir Tagic. The film tells the story of a man whose seemingly meaningless life is turned upside down when his estranged father is diagnosed with an incurable illness. It is a co-production of Serbia, Bulgaria, France, Croatia and Montenegro, with Bulgarian producer Katya Trichkova of Contrast Films.

The film Eraserhead in a Knitted Shopping Bag, directed by Lili Koss, received a Special Mention from the jury. Produced in collaboration by the Bulgarian companies Portokal (Vanya Raynova and Victoria Mitreva) and KLAS Film (Rossitsa Vulkanova), it premiered at Critics' Week at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The jury cited the film's portrayal of children growing up on their own in Bulgaria during the turbulent 1990s, noting its "witty, clever and compelling human interactions, directed with youthful energy and aided by vibrant cinematography".

Five productions with Bulgarian participation had entered the festival.

Serbian director Stefan Djordjevic's Winds, Talk to Me won the Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Feature Film. It explores the relationship between a mother and her son. Inspired by Djordjevic's personal experiences, the film features his family members. The jury notes that Djordjevic "interweaves elements of fiction and documentary expression into a film of enchanting melancholy and subtle beauty".

The Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Director went to Ivana Mladenovic for Sorella Di Clausura, a story about a woman from rural Romania who falls in love with a Balkan musician after seeing him on television. The jury said: "The punk spirit is never far away in this skilfully directed film, which flows like a Dostojevskean river, stacking failure on failure, to finally arrive at a romantic comedy, but without the romance.”