The State Institute for Culture is a partner of the
From September 19 to 28, 2022, the Balkan Documentary Center organizes the Sofia DocuMental film festival, dedicated to the best documentary cinema, at the center of which are topics causing hot debates in society - the traumas of war and violence, the refusal to recognize the right of the individual to decide your destiny. 30 titles comprise the festival program in the halls of Sofia's Largo, the Czech Center, the House of Cinema and Lumière.
"Today, times seem more and more difficult, especially against the background of the imminent war. That is why the need for empathy, solidarity and brave voices is more and more acute", says Marticka Bozhilova, organizer of the festival and an integral part of Bulgarian documentary cinema through her production "Agitprop" company.
One of the thematic focuses of the festival program is the film screening and discussion dedicated to the topic of the Holocaust and its representation in documentary cinema through archival materials. Bianca Stichter's film Three Minutes: A Lengthening is an introduction to the topic of discussion about authentic family archives in documentary cinema. Against the background of information wars, the "post-truth era", we need to think about the ethical use of archival footage in the context of creative documentary and the differences with the narrative of pop culture and fake news.
September 21, 2022, 3 p.m., Czech Center, 100 Rakovski St., Sofia
Screening of the film Three Minutes: A Lengthening (UK)
Discussion after the screening.
Three Minutes: A Lengthening (UK)
The magic of a three-minute celluloid tape is the basis of a historical documentary film. A home movie shot in 1938 by David Kurtz in a Polish Jewish town changes our perception of time. The voice of Helena Bonham Carter guides us through this film-essay dedicated to the history and memories of a time when the Holocaust had not yet occurred.
The partnership between Sofia DocuMental and the State Institute for Culture is part of the activities under the initiative: "Strategic cooperation between Bulgaria and Norway in support of Bulgaria's international commitments to combat anti-Semitism and the preservation of Jewish heritage".