'Broken Voices' wins top prize at Sofia Film Fest

Czech director Ondřej Provazník’s Broken Voices won the top prize at the 30th Sofia International Film Festival, organisers said.

The festival, held throughout March, featured 167 films from 60 countries across six continents, with awards presented over the weekend.

Polish actor Jan Englert received the Sofia Award in recognition of his contribution to world cinema. He is well known to Bulgarian audiences for his portrayal of Father Heredia in the 1975 film Osadeni dushi (Doomed Souls), based on the novel by Bulgarian writer Dimitar Dimov (1909–1966).

“He is an actor who, 50 years ago, became an iconic figure in Bulgarian cinema, despite being a young and unknown performer to both his home audience and Bulgarian viewers,” said filmmaker and actress Boryana Puncheva.

The Best Balkan Film award went to Mother Teresa, directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska and co-produced by North Macedonia, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova