22nd Sofia Meetings 2025: A dynamic industry event with key figures from the A/V industry in Europe and the world, alongside upcoming directors! A place supporting the creative spirit, storytelling, and positioning of emerging talents in the industry.
More than 300 film industry professionals – producers, directors, scriptwriters, distributors, exhibitors, festival representatives, and sales agents – gathered in Sofia!
This year, we presented 19 projects in development and 19 works in progress, engaging participants in pitching sessions, industry screenings, and one-to-one meetings.
Parallel to the main program, our Industry Talks explored co-production opportunities across Europe, an innovative online platform positioning Bulgaria as a key destination for international co-production, the Co-producing with the Balkans panel, which gathered numerous international film funds and production companies from the region, and AI’s growing influence on cinema in the coming years, featuring insights from Alex Glas and Hadrien Ozil from France.
Our Transmedia HUB XR Showcase introduced VR/XR and AR projects in partnership with the Laboratory ‘Virtual & Augmented Reality’ of Sofia Tech Park and VR Lab. We showcased the Grand Prize-winning project from GREATIVITY 2025, "Next Gen Super AI".
Our Eastern Lights initiative for actors featured the workshop "Visibility of Bulgarian Talent: Mastering Auditions with Local and Global Casting Directors," held in collaboration with casting directors Mariana Stanisheva (Bulgaria) and Maurilio Mangano (Italy). This initiative was supported by the "Filmmakers System" by Denkungsart GmbH, with thanks to Dr. David Zitzlsperger (Germany) and Ilinka Teodorescu (Romania).
Our valued partners, Europa Distribution and Europa Cinemas, hosted key workshops on independent distribution and audience development, reinforcing Sofia Meetings’ role as a hub for film industry growth.
A huge thank you to our partners and supporters for making this edition a success: Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, Sofia Municipality, Bulgarian National Film Centre, Doli Media Studio, Cinelab Romania, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Chaos, Bulgaria Air, Moto-Phohe Rent a Car, Uniqa Bulgaria, Elbur Film &Tottaly Independant Prodictions, Grand Hotel Sofia, German Films, Go-Film Office, YapimLab, MFI, Crossroads Co-Production Forum, Producers Network, EAVE, Connecting Cottbus, FF Cottbus, LUX Audience Award, Europa Cinemas, Europa Distribution, Festival Scope, Eventival, CoProCity, Institut français de Bulgarie, Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Sofia, Cultural Center G8 , B1 Hotels, Hotel Sveta Sofia, Rosslyn Thracia Hotel Sofia, Virtual and Augmented Reality Lab, VR Lab BG, Tipchenitza Winery, Edoardo Mioglio Wine Cellar, Cineuropa, OnAir Bulgaria, Nova, KinoNova.
This year, we had two new awards:
DOLI MEDIA STUDIO Award – The prize of 20 000 euros in production and post-production services was presented to the project THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ION G. (Romania) by the director ANREEA BORTUN and the producer GABRIELA SUCIU (Atelier Films).
MOTO PFOHE Award – This award is given for the realization of a Bulgarian production or co-production. The winner receives a 30% discount on car rental services, and the award was won by FLOWER OF FAREWELL (Finland) by the director PAVEL ANDONOV and the producer INKA HIETALA (Into Films).
We are grateful to be supported by our traditional partners:
CINELAB ROMANIA Award – Post-production lab services equal to 10 000 euros and 5 000 euros in services from Kodak Romania went to the project CONTRE-JOUR (Bulgaria) by the director ANTONIA MILCHEVA and the producer KATYA TRICHKOVA (Contrast Films).
UNIQA Award – The award for the best Bulgarian or regional project, a 1 000 euro prize, and a discount on the insurance services applied for film production, was granted to THE LAST FISH (Bulgaria) by the director ANDREY PAOUNOV and the producer ELITZA KATZARSKA (Chicken Milk).
CHAOS VFX Award – THE PASSPORT (Germany-Belgium-Palestine) by the director RAKAN MAYASI and the producers ZORANA MUSIKIC and MAY ODEH (Mayana Films) is awarded the opportunity to use CHAOS's technological support.
ELBUR FILM & TOTALLY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTIONS Award – The prize amounts to 5 000 euros in production and post-production services and was awarded to THE LAST FISH (Bulgaria) by the director ANDREY PAOUNOV and the producer ELITZA KATZARSKA (Chicken Milk).
GO-RESIDENCES Award – covers travel costs, accommodation, and consultants (script/production design/others). The prize amounts to 5 000 euros and includes two visits to the residences for 10 days (the first is intended for writing or finalizing the script and scouting, and the second is intended for creating a mood board of locations and other information for the production. The lucky project to visit the GO-RESIDENCES is WISH ME GOODNIGHT (France) by the director SOFIA BABLUANI and the producer FRANCOIS D’ARTEMARE (Les Films de l’Ápres-Midi).
YAPIMLAB provides the ‘Young Producer Award – YAPIMLAB’ and invites the producer GABRIELA SUCIU (Atelier films) of the project to THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ION G. (Romania) by the director ANREEA BORTUN for a week of project consultancy in Istanbul, covering travel and accommodation to facilitate networking opportunities within the Turkish industry (valued at 5,000 euros).
PRODUCERS NETWORK (CANNES MARKET) Award – accreditation for Producers Network at Cannes Market 2025 is granted to PETR OPLATKA (Stairway Films) of the project HOTEL MOLDAU (Czech Republic) by the director JAN ŠVEJKAR.
EWA BG Award – Industry Accreditation for Karlovy Vary IFF, presented to the best project directed or produced by a female filmmaker is given to THE PASSPORT (Germany-Belgium-Palestine) by the director RAKAN MAYASI and the producers ZORANA MUSIKIC and MAY ODEH (Mayana Films).
We have two unannounced awards:
CROSSROADS CO-PRODUCTION FORUM – one of the projects will have the opportunity to present their project from Sofia Meetings.
MEDITERRANEAN FILM FILM INSTITUTE AWARD – scholarship awarded to one of the projects from Sofia Meetings to participate in MFI Script 2 Film Workshops, covering the tuition fees for 1 person (equal to 2 000 euros).
A huge thank you to all the participants – we hope to see your projects premiere soon at Sofia International Film Festival!
