Short Film Screenwriting Contest
The competition for a short film screenplay started in 2002, as a main activity of the European film association NISI MASA. Its mission is to discover new film talents and to support the authors in their professional and artistic development. In Bulgaria, the contest has been an annual event since 2003 and is aimed at participants up to the age of 35 who can submit their original texts individually or as co-writers. Traditionally, each edition of the competition is dedicated to a specific theme. A professional jury of playwrights, directors and producers awards the prizes to selected authors and their works. The contest is accompanied by a master class in screenwriting, led by prominent dramatists. The French Cultural Institute in Sofia supports the events from the very start of the initiative. So far, over 800 screenwriters and film lovers have taken part in it. Some of them are today among the important Bulgarian filmmakers. In 2022 we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the contest.
In 2020, 41 original texts were submitted for the 18th edition of the annual short film screenplay and film project contest. All of them are original works by participants under 35 from all over the country. The theme of the competition, which the scenarios had tackle in one way or another, was Witness.
A jury consisting of Kristina Grozeva, Ivan Landzhev, Hristo Simeonov, Lyubomir Mladenov and Elena Mosholova awarded the prizes.
The grand prize in the competition was shared between Martin Kasabov with his screenplay Making Love and Kristina Spasovska with her screenplay Reptiles. Each of the two authors received a diploma and a cash prize of BGN 700.
The award for the best film project went to Balcony – an animation project by Iva Tokmakchieva.
The awards were presented in the cinema hall of the French Institute – Sofia. After the awarding, each participant received comments from the jury about his/her screenplay or film project.
The event ended with a master class in screenwriting, led by Ivan Landzhev.
The short film screenplay and film project competition in 2020 is carried out with the support of the Sofia Culture Program and in partnership with the French Institute – Sofia.
The competition for script and film project of the Bulgarian Cinema Society 2019 ended with the announcement of the winners. A total of 20 screenplays and short film projects by authors from all over the country, aged up to 35, were submitted to the Heart competition. A jury consisting of Lyubomir Mladenov (director), Nikolay Todorov (director), Veselka Kiryakova (producer), Zornitsa Hristova (writer) and Simeon Ventsislavov (screenwriter) awarded the prizes.
The big prize for the best script and the amount of BGN 1,000 was awarded to the screenplay Home by Hristo Simeonov.
The jury also awarded two special prizes for the screenplays:
- Guest by Alexander Yanev
- To myself by Boyana Tsvetkova
The award ceremony continued with the jury’s comments on the submitted scripts and ended with a master class led by Simeon Ventsislavov – screenwriter of the films Aga (directed by Milko Lazarov), Directions and In Circle (directed by Stefan Komandarev).
The event is organized with the support of the French Institute Bulgaria.
In 2018 in the 16th edition of the competition for short film screenplays and film projects, a total of 37 original texts were submitted by participants up to 35 years. The theme of the competition was Hero.
A jury consisting of Simeon Ventsislavov (screenwriter), Lyubomir Mladenov (director), Nikolay Todorov (director), Elena Mosholova (producer) and Dimana Yordanova (writer) awarded three prizes:
- The grand prize in the competition and the amount of BGN 1,000 was awarded to Holiday by Antonia Milcheva
- The award for best film project was received by Katrin Radoslavova for her project Scratches
- The jury also awarded a special mention – a diploma for Kalina Atanasova for her screenplay Hero
The awards were presented in the cinema hall of the French Institute – Sofia. After the award ceremony, a master class was held, led by Simeon Ventsislavov – screenwriter of the films Aga (directed by Milko Lazarov) and Directions (directed by Stefan Komandarev).
After the masterclass each participant received comments and guidance from the jury on the submitted screenplays and film projects.
51 original texts were submitted for the competition for screenplays and film projects for a short film in 2017. The theme of the competition, to which all scripts had to be tied in one way or another, was Control, without restriction on film type or genre.
Thanks to all participants for the inspiration!
A professional jury announced three winners:
- The grand prize in the competition, provided by the production company Screening Emotions in the amount of BGN 1,000, went to the script The Sky Behind the Hill by Nadia Todorova
- The award for the best film project, provided by the European association NISI MASA – participation in the final workshop on script description and pitching in front of European producers within the European Short Pitch in 2018. won Sara Bozhikova with Will You Play?
- The jury also awarded a special diploma to Janine Al-Shargabi for her screenplay A Story About Eli
The award ceremony ended with a master class led by Petar Valchanov and Kristina Grozeva – screenwriters, directors, producers of the films Jump, The Lesson, Glory.
From 2002 to 2010 the competition of the European network NISI MASA was held in two rounds – national and international. It was launched in 2002 with the theme Europe. Then followed Borders (2003), The Other (2004), Silence (2005), Tourists (2006), Circle (2007), Escape (2008), Taboo (2009). In 2010, the competition became a professional program for development of short film projects by screenwriters, directors and producers – the first edition of the European Short Pitch was held.
