Sofia, Bulgaria hosts its 15th International Film Festival this year on the dates 4-13th March 2011. One of the most important film festivals on the festival map, it features not only top international films but Eastern European and Bulgarian national cinema as well. Various industry professionals from the international cinema world will attend to support and/or present their films in competition at the festival. 

The SIFF 2011 festival officially opened on 4th March in the National Palace of Culture's Hall 1 with the Oscar nominated film (and winner of Best Actress award for Natalie Portman) BLACK SWAN. The days following will will have screenings of nearly 200 films. Festival competitions include an International Competition for best film and second best film, Balkan Competition, New Bulgarian Cinema, Jamesom Award for shorts in Bulgarian national cinema and much more. 

Many award winning filmmakers are scheduled to attend, such as Oscar winning Danis Tanovic (NO MAN'S LAND, 2002) who will present the award for Best Balkan Film. He will also present his new film, CIRKUS COLUMBIA (2010), at the close of the festival on March 12th after the awards ceremony. (Read an interview with actress Jelena Stupljanin... on her role in the film here: http://www.fest21.com/en/blog/vanessa_mcmahon/cirkus_columbia)

Other award winners to attend SIFF 2011 include: Semih Kaplanoglu (BAL, Turkey, 2009) and Florin Serban (IF I WANT TO WHISTLE, I WHISTLE, 2009), actress Claudia Cardinale, Andrzei Zulawski, Goran Paskaljevic and Vladimir Paskaljevic. Milcho Manchevski will present his latest film MOTHERS (2010), (read more here on 'Mothers': http://www.fest21.com/en/blog/vanessa_mcmahon/mothers_milcho)

To read more about SIFF 2011, visit their site at: http://siff.bg/index.php?page=page&id=2 -

written by Vanessa McMahon March 07, 2011