When the world shakes, we need to get together, exchange ideas, watch amazing films and think about the future of our communities!

Sofia Pride Film Fest is the only LGBTIQ+ film festival in Bulgaria. For 14 years now we independently manage to present outstanding films. In a country which is famous with its widespread homophobia and discrimination against the LGBTIQ+ communities, the existence of the festival is groundbreaking and lifesaving for the members of the community. Even though since 2019 each screening of the film festival has been attacked verbally and sometimes physically, we manage to continue our mission to do community organising through the power of cinema.

In the 2024 edition of Sofia Pride Film Fest we will show 10 feature films and a selection of short films on the LGBTIQ+ thematic.

Sofia Pride Film Fest is part of the official program of the Sofia Pride calendar. Together with the screenings there are discussions on the topics of LGBTIQ+ rights in Bulgaria, an LGBTIQ+ opening party and the official Sofia Pride Pride month closing party.

The organiser LGBTI organisation Deystvie is an LGBTIQ+ organisation based in Bulgaria which focuses on advancing the rights of the community in Bulgaria with strategic litigation, providing pro bono legal support to the communities and community organising. It started the Sofia Pride Film Fest back in 2010 in times when LGBTIQ+ films were not shown in Bulgaria at all.

The festival awards prizes in two main categories for Feature and Short films:
- Audience Award for Best Feature Film of the festival worth $1000 in cash.
- Sofia Unicorn Award to the Best Short Film of the festival worth $500 in cash.

1. About
Sofia Pride Film Fest (SPFF) presents the finest selection of world LGBTIQ+ cinema. The 14th Sofia Pride Film Fest will be held from June 4th to 15th 2024 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Organiser of the festival is LGBTI organisation Deystvie.

2. Eligibility
- Documentary and fiction films are accepted
- Short films with runtime less than 25 minutes
- Feature Films with runtime more than 60 minutes
- Films must be completed in 2023 or 2024
- The final screening file must be DCP, Apple ProRes, H264 or H265
- Only Bulgarian premieres are accepted
- All films must have English subtitles

3.Submissions
- The entry form along with the film screener should be submitted via FilmFreeWay.com
- The following materials are required on submission: original title, title in English, type of the film (fiction/documentary), runtime, country of origin, synopsis, subtitles in English

4. Deadlines
- Early bird Deadline: March 1st 2024
- Regular Deadline: April 10th 2024

5. Fees
The festival charges the following entry fees:
- Early bird fee for Short Films: €7
- Early bird fee for Feature Films: €21
- Regular fee for Short Films: €10
- Regular fee for Feature Films: €30
There are no entry fees for films from specific countries. If your film is produced in any of the following countries, please email us prior to submitting to get a waiver code:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

6. Selection
- The pre-selection of the films will be made by at least two Festival Programmers, appointed by the organiser of the festival
- The following additional materials may be requested via digital delivery upon selection: screening file, biography & filmography of the director, trailer, poster, stills from the film, BTS photos, photo of the director, press information, social media links, list of screenings & awards, film critics reviews
- The official selection will be announced on May 13th 2024
- All submitters will be notified by FilmFreeWay.com
- The deadline for the digital delivery of the selected screening copies is May 17th 2024

7. Awards
- Every viewer can vote for their favourite Feature Film during the festival
- After all valid votes are counted the highest rated Feature Film will receive the Audience Award for Best Feature Film of the festival worth $1000 in cash
- The Festival Programmers will give Sofia Unicorn Award to the Best Short Film of the festival worth $500 in cash

8. Terms
- The submitter is responsible for clearing all rights and permissions concerning each submission. The festival holds no liability
- Film excerpts that might be broadcast on television or the internet should not exceed the duration of 3 minutes or 10% of the total running time of the film
- The festival reserves the right to publish film information, including the contact info of the director and the producer
- The festival will not pay screening fees for the films submitted via FilmFreeWay.com
- The decision of the Festival Programmers is final
- The festival is not able to give feedback to any of the submitters
- The festival can organise up to two screenings per film
- The films could be screened within the noncommercial presentational programs after the festival upon agreement with the rightholders of the films
- The festival reserves the right to invite films out of the above procedure
- The film screener that will be submitted to the festival along with the entry form will remain with the archives of the festival
- Film screenings may be held both in cinemas and online. Online screenings will be scheduled on top of theatrical screenings and may be proposed to rightholders after the film selection by the festival. The details of online screenings will be determined individually with rightholders
- The films chosen for the online programme are available within the territory of Bulgaria only for no more than one month
- Bulgarian premiere means that the film cannot be presented at any film festival, theatrically released, broadcasted on TV, streamed on VOD platforms or any other online media in Bulgaria prior to the festival dates

9. Attending
- The festival invites all directors of selected films to attend the Sofia Pride Film Fest and represent their film in Q&A’s. Alternatively the directors may be asked to send a video message to the audience of the festival if are unable to attend in person
- Directors will receive free festival accreditation
- Travel expenses, hotel accommodation and daily meals are not provided. On special occasions and upon availability the festival may support directors to attend the festival

10. Contacts
Sofia Pride Film Fest (SPFF) was established in 2010 in Sofia, Bulgaria and organised by LGBTI organisation Deystvie, UIC #176377812.
+359884851222 Denitsa Lyubenova, chairperson
www.deystvie.org

By submitting your film to SPFF, you are accepting these Entry Regulations.

Overall Rating
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Value
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Hospitality
Networking
  • Andres Lubbert

    Great festival! We were invited to present our shortfilm in Sofia. Very warm public and organization. High Quality program of international films. Important space!

    June 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Andrés! It was great having you, Emzo and 'The Pride Liar' at Sofia Pride Film Fest 2024! Good luck to you and your film!