site.btaEmpathy for Ukraine's Predicament Expressed at Opening of 26th Sofia Film Festival

"How can we party when a brutal war is being waged just several hundred kilometres from here, in which defenceless Ukrainian civilians are killed daily, homes are destroyed, and hundreds of thousands are forced to sleep in bomb shelters while others are banished from their homes. They include the women and children of Ukraine who flee the war, and some of them are already in Bulgaria," Sofia Film Festival Director and founder Stefan Kitanov said here on Thursday evening, opening the festival's 26th edition.

"In these trying times for the people of Ukraine and for all democratic people worldwide, I express my empathy for those who were unable to attend this event: the filmmakeres. The ones who, instead of joining their auidence in the auditoriums, are now defending their country and freedom," Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova said for her part.

Fandakova presented the Sofia Award to director, screenwriter, writer, public figure Angel Wagenstein. Wagenstein, who is turning 100, was honoured for his contribution to the art of cinema.

France's Ambassador to Bulgaria Florence Robine presented "Both Sides of the Blade", the opening title in the programme, starring Juliette Binoche and Vincent Lindon. Sofia Film Fest is the world's second venue after Berlinalle to screen the oeuvre of legend Claire Denis, in partnership with the Institut francaise in Sofia and the French Embassy and as a tie-in with the French Presidency of the European Union.

The Festival will be on until March 31. Its programme includes award-winning movies like Levan Koguashvili's "Brighton 4", Peter Kerekes's "107 Mothers", Ryusuke Hamaguchi's "Drive My Car", Andreas Dressen's "Rabie Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush",  Cornel Mundruzzo's Cannes Evolution, Radu Muntean's "Intregalde", Kirill Serebrennikov's "Petrov's Flu", Haider Rashid's "Europe", Paul Schrader's "The Gambler", Pablo Laraine's "Spencer", and Jan Matuszynski's "Leave No Trace".