Over the last three decades, acclaimed filmmaker Borislav Kolev has cemented a reputation as a leading Bulgarian film critic, screenwriter, and documentary director/producer.
After earning a degree in film studies from the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Kolev turned to journalism, writing about film for several daily and weekly publications. During this period he also published the award-winning book Bitter Cinema (1998), featuring interviews with Bulgarian and international filmmakers.
Kolev made his directorial debut in 2012, with the documentary Stoichkov. A portrait of soccer superstar Hristo Stoichkov, the film smashed Bulgarian box office records for documentary, and was screened around the world. Kolev followed up Stoichkov with a string of successful, award-winning documentaries. Salto Mortale (2015) is the dramatic story of the rise and subsequent fall from grace of phenomenal Bulgarian Olympic weightlifter Angel Guenchev — who never gave up fighting for a new lease on life. The Eye of the Minotaur (2017) profiles an ambitious blind man who dreams of becoming a sculptor; and Rock n’ Roll (2019) tells the story of the influential rock bands that shattered social conventions and became counterculture heroes in 1980s Bulgaria. Theodore Ushev: Unseen Connections (2022), dedicated to the world-famous animator and visual artist, co-produced by Projector Ltd. (Bulgaria) and the National Film Board of Canada, was shown at some of the most prestigious international festivals.