Bulgarian National Film Archive
Encyclopedia
Bulgarian National Film Archive
also known as Bulgarian Cinematheque
is an organization formed to acquire, restore, preserve and store film and film related archival artefacts of the national and world culture. Since 1959 it is a Member of the International Federation of Film Archives.
The head office of the Cinematheque is accommodated in an old Art Deco
-style house located in the Sofia
city center. The very archive is currently stored in several cities – Sofia
, Stara Zagora
and Belogradchik
.
The main base where the film collection is held is located just nearby the Boyana Film
Centre (Sofia suburb).
As a structure the institution is consist of Direction; Sector Administrative; Sector Film Collection; Sector Information, Repertoire and Programming and a small cinema hall named Odeon.
The logo of the Bulgarian National Film Archive was designed by Stefan Kanchev
, the "father of Bulgarian graphic design".
the exact date of foundation of the Film Archive also varies in the memories of the people who worked there. Howsoever it corresponds with the period when the first national film archives were established. For instance, it is reported that the first film archives are found during 1935 in London
and New York
followed by the French one in 1936.
When the communist regime took the rule in the country, the Bulgarian film-making was nationalized. Subsequently in 1948 a National Film Museum was founded. Its beginnings were laid again by the pioneer of Bulgarian cinema Vassil Gendov. He collected the film-copies of the distribution net as well as of the nationalized distributors and also found and restored posters, photos and materials about our film-making history. The collection started with 154 newsreels, 117 short films, most of them shot by foreign cameramen, 15 Bulgarian feature films, 500 foreign feature films and about 550 Bulgarian documentaries and popular science films.
The first official documents manifested the foundation of the Film Archive in 1952 as a part of the nationalized Bulgarian cinematography. The General department of archives in Bulgaria methodically guided the work of the Film Archive in those years.
In 1994, after the liberation, by Ordinance issued by the Council of Ministers is determined the status of the Bulgarian National Film Archive as cultural institution of national significance. Its range is directly under the Ministry of Culture
.
, the Bulgarian one has a cinema hall too. It is named "Odeon" and located in Sofia city center too, not far from the head office house.
Initially the cinema was opened in 1961 in the hall of the Arts and Culture Club at 108 Rakovski st
. After some break the Film Archive rented Vlaikova Cinema hall in 1969 with consideration to convert it into specialized cinematheque cinema. Soon the screenings in this hall were ceased too, only to be continued at the newly opened Vitosha cinema. An year later the Film Archive got its own hall named Druzhba cinema. In 1991, after the falling of the communist regime it was renamed "Odeon cinematheque cinema". Being a specialized cinema it organizes its program in cycles, arranges special weeks, foreign film reviews, celebrations of local and international artists.
The hall is housed on the ground floor in a seven-storeyed corner building. It is situated by one of the Sofia
landmarks - the Patriarch Evtimiy Square
with the monument of Evtimiy of Tarnovo, Patriarch of Bulgaria
. The place is also a popular meeting point for the residents of the city.
titles with more than 40 000 copies or 300 000 film reels.
The foreign collection includes 4 348 items from 54 countries:
The collection is enlarged and enriched mainly with the films, made by the studios around the country, international exchange or donations.
The Archive also holds more than 3000 videotapes.
Cinematheque
A cinémathèque is a French word used to refer to a film archive with small cinemas that screens particularly classic and art-house films.- History :...
also known as Bulgarian Cinematheque
Cinematheque
A cinémathèque is a French word used to refer to a film archive with small cinemas that screens particularly classic and art-house films.- History :...
is an organization formed to acquire, restore, preserve and store film and film related archival artefacts of the national and world culture. Since 1959 it is a Member of the International Federation of Film Archives.
The head office of the Cinematheque is accommodated in an old Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
-style house located in the Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
city center. The very archive is currently stored in several cities – Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora is the sixth largest city in Bulgaria, and a nationally important economic center. Located in Southern Bulgaria, it is the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province...
and Belogradchik
Belogradchik
Belogradchik is a town in Vidin Province, Northwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of the homonymous Belogradchik Municipality. The town, whose name literally means "small white town," is situated in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains just east of the Serbian border and about 50 km...
.
The main base where the film collection is held is located just nearby the Boyana Film
Boyana Film
NU Boyana Film Studios is among the biggest European film studios, situated in Boyana, Sofia, Bulgaria.Founded as Boyana Film, Nu Boyana Film Studios is a Bulgarian film production complex unique for Southeastern Europe. It was opened in 1962. It is one amongst the few sites in Europe that combine...
Centre (Sofia suburb).
As a structure the institution is consist of Direction; Sector Administrative; Sector Film Collection; Sector Information, Repertoire and Programming and a small cinema hall named Odeon.
The logo of the Bulgarian National Film Archive was designed by Stefan Kanchev
Stefan Kanchev
Stefan Kirov Kanchev was a Bulgarian graphic artist best known for his logo design work. He has been referred to as the "father of Bulgarian graphic design" and the "master of the trademark"....
, the "father of Bulgarian graphic design".
History
Since the year of the making of the first Bulgarian feature film Bulgaran is gallant is disputablethe exact date of foundation of the Film Archive also varies in the memories of the people who worked there. Howsoever it corresponds with the period when the first national film archives were established. For instance, it is reported that the first film archives are found during 1935 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
followed by the French one in 1936.
When the communist regime took the rule in the country, the Bulgarian film-making was nationalized. Subsequently in 1948 a National Film Museum was founded. Its beginnings were laid again by the pioneer of Bulgarian cinema Vassil Gendov. He collected the film-copies of the distribution net as well as of the nationalized distributors and also found and restored posters, photos and materials about our film-making history. The collection started with 154 newsreels, 117 short films, most of them shot by foreign cameramen, 15 Bulgarian feature films, 500 foreign feature films and about 550 Bulgarian documentaries and popular science films.
The first official documents manifested the foundation of the Film Archive in 1952 as a part of the nationalized Bulgarian cinematography. The General department of archives in Bulgaria methodically guided the work of the Film Archive in those years.
In 1994, after the liberation, by Ordinance issued by the Council of Ministers is determined the status of the Bulgarian National Film Archive as cultural institution of national significance. Its range is directly under the Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Culture (Bulgaria)
The Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria is the ministry charged with overseeing and stimulating the cultural work in the country and preserving its cultural heritage...
.
The Cinema Hall
Since it is typical for the film archive institutions to have in their structure small cinemas that screens particularly classic and art-house filmsArt film
An art film is the result of filmmaking which is typically a serious, independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience...
, the Bulgarian one has a cinema hall too. It is named "Odeon" and located in Sofia city center too, not far from the head office house.
Initially the cinema was opened in 1961 in the hall of the Arts and Culture Club at 108 Rakovski st
Georgi Rakovski Street
Georgi Rakovski Street , usually called with its old name Rakovska, is an important street in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, located in the central area of the city. It is named after the famous Bulgarian revolutionary Georgi Sava Rakovski...
. After some break the Film Archive rented Vlaikova Cinema hall in 1969 with consideration to convert it into specialized cinematheque cinema. Soon the screenings in this hall were ceased too, only to be continued at the newly opened Vitosha cinema. An year later the Film Archive got its own hall named Druzhba cinema. In 1991, after the falling of the communist regime it was renamed "Odeon cinematheque cinema". Being a specialized cinema it organizes its program in cycles, arranges special weeks, foreign film reviews, celebrations of local and international artists.
The hall is housed on the ground floor in a seven-storeyed corner building. It is situated by one of the Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
landmarks - the Patriarch Evtimiy Square
Patriarch Evtimiy Square
Patriarch Evtimiy Square , more popularly known as Popa , is a small urban square and a busy intersection in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria...
with the monument of Evtimiy of Tarnovo, Patriarch of Bulgaria
Patriarch Evtimiy of Bulgaria
Saint Evtimiy of Tarnovo was Patriarch of Bulgaria between 1375 and 1393. Regarded as one of the most important figures of medieval Bulgaria, Evtimiy was the last head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the Second Bulgarian Empire...
. The place is also a popular meeting point for the residents of the city.
Collection
The Bulgarian Cinematheque holds the national film archive, which consists of 15 000titles with more than 40 000 copies or 300 000 film reels.
Film Holdings
There are 9 528 Bulgarian films:- - 5 844 documentaries and popular science films
- - 2 364 newsreels
- - 700 feature films
- - 620 animations, newsreels, chronicles and periodicals
The foreign collection includes 4 348 items from 54 countries:
- - 3 589 feature films
- - 625 documentaries
- - 134 animations
The collection is enlarged and enriched mainly with the films, made by the studios around the country, international exchange or donations.
The Archive also holds more than 3000 videotapes.
Other Holdings
The Bulgarian Film Archive holds a large related non-film collection, consisting of:- - 10 000 volumes of books and magazines
- - 27 000 unique posters
- - 118 000 photos
- - 15 600 dialogue lists
- - more than 600 records of Bulgarian feature films