“Against the Flow” (Sreshtu Techenieto) is an annual Bulgarian film festival founded in 2018, dedicated to films with a strong position — short, feature, documentary, and animated films telling stories of people with a cause who are not afraid to stand up for it. It is about courage, hope, and life created by our own rules. Watch. Feel. Join.

Our Mission
Our mission is to inspire dialogue, raise awareness, and foster community through the power of film. We aim to support filmmakers whose work reflects courage, creativity, and a commitment to positive change. By connecting audiences with stories that matter, we strive to cultivate empathy and provoke reflection on contemporary challenges.

When and Where
The 7th edition of “Against the Flow” will take place across multiple venues and dates in Sofia:

August 29, 30, 31 — Rivers of Sofia (open-air screenings)

September 11, 7 PM — Stroeja Club (Screening and Official Opening)

September 12, 13, 14, 7 PM — Dom na Kinoto (House of Cinema)

September 26, 27, 28, 8:30 PM — Kino Kabana

October 16, 7 PM — Stroeja Club (Screening, Closing Ceremony, Awards, and Party)

Stay tuned for more information and the upcoming program!

The festival is realized with the support of the National Culture Fund, the Bulgarian National Film Center, Sofia Municipality, and our wonderful hosts: Rivers of Sofia, Dom na Kinoto (House of Cinema), Kino Kabana, and Stroeja Club.

Awards & Prizes

All official selections will receive a laurel after the notification date.

Awards in the following categories:

Best Film

Best Director

Best Lead Male Actor

Best Lead Female Actor

Best Production Design

Best Cinematography

Best Editing

Best Comedy

Best Animation

Save the Planet Award (for films in the environmental categories).

Rules & Terms

We accept entries through FilmFreeway's Secure Online Screener or Vimeo.
All genres and languages are accepted, however, make sure that your film is subtitled in either English or Bulgarian.

Please note that all selected films need to send the festival an srt. file (other formats such as PDF or docx are not accepted), as well as provide the team with an option to download the film. Please contact us in case you need guidance.

The submission fees are non-refundable and the submitters do not receive any Box-Office proceeds from the festival.

While we're constantly working on securing multiple venues for screenings, IFF ON THE BEACH reserves the right to make changes in the dates, time and location of the screenings.

The submitter must be a copyright owner or producer.

The festival has the right to use any promotional material sent by the submitter for marketing and publishing related to the festival.

The submitter will be contacted for screening permission before each screening of their film.
19 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Olga Koleva

    Wonderful festival! The team was professional and welcoming, the screenings were well-organized, and it provided a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow filmmakers. It’s a wonderful platform for filmmakers from around the world to showcase their work!

    December 2025
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  • UMSS Blue

    Thanks you so much for hosting A World Without Silence, incredible festival !

    September 2025
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  • Melle Windig

    Thank you for hosting Cell Buddies our short student stop motion animation and giving us the opportunity to share it with your audience! Unfortunately we could not attend but communication with the festival was excellent and it looked great on social media.

    September 2025
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  • Pim van Gorp

    Wonderful communication, and such a nice festival!

    September 2025
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  • Kameliya Petrova

    This festival is truly special — not only because of its inspiring focus, but also because the team behind it really makes a difference. They lead by example, even organizing riverbank clean-up campaigns.

    I attended two events and was deeply impressed: every film was warmly received by the audience, I met wonderful and inspiring people, and on top of that — it was pure joy.

    🙏 Thank you so much!

    September 2025
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