A unique opportunity for first-timers in Sofia International Film Festival’s competition program - they will compete for the "Sofia – City of Film" Grand Prize awarded by the Sofia municipality
"The Ones Bellow" by David Farr is a skillfully made and intricately constructed suspense-thriller. It tells the story of two families expecting their first children. Kate and Justin are an influential couple living in a trendy London suburb. New tenants move into the downstairs apartment. The two families become friends and it turns out the four of them have a lot in common…
The film is director David Farr’s feature debut. He is an experienced theatre writer and a veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The film premiered as part of the City to City program of the Toronto Film Festival but you can also see it at Berlinale 2016.
"Mammal" is Rebecca Daly’s second feature film, presented as part of the Sundance ’16 official selection. The film tells the story of a divorced woman whose teenage son is found dead. In order to overcome the loss more easily she takes a homeless young man into her home. Eventually an unusual relationship develops between the two...
Rebecca Daly holds a BA in Drama and English literature from Trinity College. She then graduated an MA program in cinema at the Dublin Institute of Technology where she specialized directing. She has worked as a designer and with camera crews for various film and television projects. Her short film Joyriders (2006) was screened at over 40 festivals and won several awards. The other side of sleep is her feature debut.
"Rauf" is Turkish directors Soner Caner and Baris Kaya’s first feature film. The film is a metaphor of hope, the strength of love and dreams. The main character – Rauf is an 11-year-old boy living in the shadow of war. Inspired by love, the young dreamer embarks on a quest to search for pink and the change and beauty it will bring about.
"The Open Door" by director Marina Seresesky is in her own words “a film about the family, not only the one we were born in but also the people we feel close to us and we need, the people we’ve grown up with and we’ve come across in the course of our life.” Rosa is a prostitute. She inherited the profession from her mother who’s turned her life into a living hell. But the unexpected appearance of a new member of the family gives Rosa the chance to discover happiness…
Marina Seresesky is born in Argentina but works as a writer, director and actress in Spain. Her last short film The Wedding is among those nominated for a Goya award for best short film. Her documentary Mothers, 15 Cents a Minute, coproduced by Meridional Productions and Telemadrid won the Biznaga de Plata at the Malaga Film Festival in 2010.
"If and When" by director Eran B.Y. is his feature debut as director. The screening in Sofia will be the film’s world premiere. Eran B.Y. is known as the author of the script of "Little Heroes", "Our Song High", "Restart" as well as "The Red Hood Setup". In If and When he tells the story of a divorced young father who falls in love but his obligations towards his daughter force him to neglect the budding feeling. Will the new encounter after so many years reignite love’s flames? Do we ever submit to circumstances?...