Bulgaria marks 70 years of diplomatic relations with Luxembourg through cinema, music, and exhibitions
30 October 2026 NewsA series of cultural events dedicated to Bulgarian cinema, music, photography and visual arts took place in Luxembourg in October 2026, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Organised in close cooperation of the Embassy of Bulgaria in Brussels with the Bulgarian community in Luxembourg and the local cultural organisations, the events presented the diversity of Bulgarian artistic expression and cultural heritage to the international audience, contributing to the promotion of Bulgaria and the strengthening of cultural ties between the two countries.
The highlight of the program was the 19th edition of the Central and Eastern European Film Festival CinEast, held from 9 to 25 October, with Bulgaria as its country of focus. The program of the Focus presented contemporary Bulgarian cinema through screenings of feature films, documentaries and short films, accompanied by meetings and discussions with Bulgarian directors and filmmakers.
Ambassador Natalia Uzunova attended the festival’s official opening on 14 October, as well as the special Bulgarian Evening held on 16 October, which featured a screening of the documentary Strandzha, followed by a discussion with its director, Pepa Hristova. Bulgaria’s participation in the festival was marked by the success of two films receiving Awards of the Audience. The documentary In Hell with Ivo, by Kristina Nikolova, won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film, while Gadzhe, presented by director Georges Vanev and producer Nevena Semova, received the Audience Award for Best Short Fiction Film. These distinctions reflected the appreciation of international audiences for Bulgarian cinema and the work of Bulgarian filmmakers.
Music also featured prominently in the cultural programme. On 10 October, the ensemble GloBalKan, featuring Bulgarian musicians Nedyalko Nedyalkov, Petar Milanov, Stoyan Yankulov and Vladimir Karparov, gave a concert combining Bulgarian folk music, jazz and contemporary musical influences. On 18 October, brothers Aleksandar and Konstantin Vladigerov, together with percussionist Stoil Ivanov, performed a live musical accompaniment to Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau’s silent film Tartuffe, bringing together music and cinema in an original artistic presentation.
Bulgarian visual arts were also represented through photography and painting. Bulgarian photographer Veselina Nikolaeva presented her project School No. 7 as part of the Crossroads exhibition, included in the accompanying programme of CinEast.
On 17 October, a solo exhibition by Bulgarian artist Kamen Bonev was inaugurated at Foyer Européen in Luxembourg, organised by the Bulgarian cultural association “Gaida”. The exhibition featured works from the series My Blue, inspired by the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, alongside other works by the artist. The opening was complemented by musical performances by the Vladigerov brothers and Stoil Ivanov.
The programme marking the 70th anniversary will conclude with a reception on 19 November 2026 at the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), with the participation of Mr Galab Donev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Republic of Bulgaria.