It’s a wrap! 23rd Sofia Meetings!
In its 2026 edition of the professional forum Sofia Meetings presents for the first time the new ARTEKINO INTERNATIONAL AWARD - a cash prize of € 5,000 for a producer of an exceptional project, provided by the foundation of the European cultural channel ARTE in support of auteur cinema.
Jury quote: For the evocative power of its intimate journey between a father and his son, the ARTE Kino Prize is awarded to FATHERS, director Martin Iliev, producer Angel Ivanov / Handplayed (Bulgaria).
PRODUCERS NETWORK (CANNES MARKET) AWARD – accreditation for Producers Network at Cannes Market.
Jury quote: For the strength of this childhood narrative and the hope it so powerfully brings to life, the Producers Network Prize is awarded to THE LAST GAME, director Andrei Redinciuc, producers Bogdan Crăciun, Eliza Ceprăzaru / Point Film (Romania).
DOLI MEDIA STUDIO Award – The prize of €20,000 in production and post-production services covers a broad range of filmmaking needs, from on-set production support to editorial, colour grading, and sound post-production. They have been a key industry partner at Sofia Meetings for several years.
Jury quote: For the richness of its imagination and the originality of its artistic vision, the Doli Media Prize is awarded to GIGA MAKES THE SEA, director Strahinja Savić, producer Andrija Lucić / Ground (Serbia), Filip Poleksic / Fourth Wall Production (Montenegro).
CINELAB ROMANIA AWARD – post-production lab services equal to €15,000. The award consists of €15 000 (price list) on lab services analogue such as: processing film negative color 16 mm or 35 mm, dailies HD Flat, Upload Mediashuttle, post production as scan 2K or 4K, etc.
Jury quote: For the tenderness of an improbable bond which heals three solitudes, the CINELab Romania Award goes to THE POT, THE LID AND THE NURSE, director Vardan Tozija, producer Ivana Shekutkoska / Minimal Collective (North Macedonia).
GREY PIGEON STUDIOS Award - The prize includes 10 full production days at Grey Pigeon Studios, with full access to the studio facilities, aimed at supporting first-time filmmakers in realizing a bold and production-ready cinematic vision.
Jury quote: A real studio for a false story, the Grey pigeons studio award goes to the Documentary SPY PASSIONS, director Roman Pessarov, producers Noura Al Kadri / Hot Potato, Roman Pessarov / PLONJ (Bulgaria).
TBD: YOUNG PRODUCER AWARD – YAPIMLAB - invites one producer for a week of project consultancy in Istanbul. It covers travel and accommodation to facilitate networking opportunities within the Turkish industry (valued at € 5,000).
From Zeynep Atakan
AGORA NETWORKING AWARD – This consists of two AGORA accreditations for Crossroads Co-production forum of the Thessaloniki IFF.
Jury quote: For its bold proposition and its sharply contrasting sense of humour, the AGORA Networking Award goes to IN THOSE DARKEST NIGHTS, director Gozde Kural, producers Gözde Kural, Bulut Reyhanoğlu / Toz Film Production (Turkey), Svetla Tsotsorkova / Front Film (Bulgaria).
EVA BG Award – Industry Accreditation for Karlovy Vary IFF, presented to the best project produced by a female filmmaker.
Jury quote: The EWA Bulgaria Award goes to a young female director who explores the path of a new beginning in a woman’s life. The project is PLACEHOLDER, director Višnja Sretenović, producer Biljana Prvanović / Delirium Films (Serbia, Germany, Bulgaria, Austria, Croatia).
TBD: ELBUR FILM AWARD – €800 in cash and shooting equipment equal to €6,000.
From Dimitar Gochev
TBD: HerARTS FILM LAB – 40% discount for a week-long residential development workshop, set in Paestum, Italy, focused on content created by women and non-binary filmmakers.
From Eliza Subotowicz, director of HerARTS
A huge thank you to all the participants – we hope to see your projects premiere soon on Sofia International Film Festival!
