INTERNATIONAL PORTRAIT FILM FESTIVAL

BULGARIA | Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo | 9 - 19 November 2023

ONLINE | 20 - 30 November 2023

FILM PORTRAITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

BULGARIA | Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo | 9 - 19 November 2023

ONLINE | 20 - 30 November 2023

HYBRID:         LIVE AND       ONLINE

BULGARIA | Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo | 9 - 19 November 2023

ONLINE | 20 - 30 November 2023

THE PORTRAIT

IPFF is on the path towards its fourth edition in 2023. Once again, we will celebrate short portrait cinema and art which explores, educates, moves and transforms. Join us between the 9th and the 19th of November 2023 live, and between the 20th and 30th online.

A portrait is an image heavy with meaning. Multilayered and multifaceted, it has a visual, psychological, material, emotional and spiritual dimension.

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Unravelled in art, the painted, the literary, the photographic portrait is often perceived by the human mind as a still frozen in time. But, in fact, it has already undergone a transformation. From its true origin, through the consciousness that revives the brush, the quill and the lens, to the semblance that begins its life on the canvas and on the page. Imitation and repetition, but with endless potential for future metamorphoses.

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The film portrait, too, is captured in time. It is not motionless - literally and metaphorically. The cinematographic portrait is a soul in the form of light encountering the canvas of the white screen. The portrait is a trace. And a sign. A secret. A reverie.

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IPFF is dedicated to the exploration of the portrait as a cultural phenomenon and seeks its possible manifestations and paths in cinema as a synergistic art.

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IPFF is a project of Portret Films Ltd.

AIM

IPFF aspires is to bring together artists and viewers who sincerely long for enrichment with art, intellectual discussion and an experience of cinema through a new prism - that of the portrait film.

CHARACTER

IPFF is a hybrid event. A symbiosis of intriguing live encounters and memorable virtual experiences. An interweaving of portrait cinema from around the world, debates, lectures, master classes.

FOCUS

The portrait is the focus of the films that will be screened at IPFF. We are looking for portrait films that have already been completed, as well as such that will be created with the concrete idea of 'portrait'. Of a person. A group of people. An object. Something invisible, but substantial. Of the self. Or of something else.

SPIRIT

IPFF is for those profoundly needing art and excitement. And for the ones in search of their catharsis. For the unafraid to stare at the screen even when it is empty. The hungry - for experimental viewpoints. For those forever in love with cinema, caught in its loop.

PARTICIPATE

  • RULES AND TERMS

    I'm rather ashamed of my plans. I make a new one every day. RULES AND TERMS
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    RULES AND TERMS

    Edition 2023

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    1. Dates and locations

    Main festival: screenings of the Official Selection and accompanying events: Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, and Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria), 9-19 November 2023.

    Online edition of the festival, including the Official Selection + 2 additional selections "For the peculiar-eyed" and "Thrilling Impressions": 20-30 November 2023.

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    2. Conditions for participation

            2.1. Deadlines for submission

            - Earlybird deadline - 23.02 – 23.04.2023

            - Regular deadline - 24.04 – 23.07.2023

            - Extended deadline - 24.07 – 17.09.2023

            - Notifying and announcing the selected films - 29.09.2023

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            2.2. Film duration

            Maximum accepted film duration is 30 minutes.

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            2.3. Time when the films were made

            The festival accepts films made after 1.01.2005.

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            2.4. File formats

            - For selected films: H264, МР4. After a film is selected to be part of the official festival programme, the organiser will contact each author in order to determine the exact technical requirements regarding the screening of their film.

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            2.5. Language and subtitles

            The festival’s working language is English. If an applying film is not in English, it is mandatory that it has appropriately embedded English subtitles.

            For all the films selected in the competition programme, the festival team will translate and produce subtitles in Bulgarian. In this case, the author must provide a CORRECT TIMECODE SRT file in English. This is absolutely OBLIGATORY!

            For films in Bulgarian: if a film is selected in the competition programme, it is mandatory to provide a copy with embedded subtitles in English.

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            2.6. Materials from the authors of selected films

            The authors of films selected in the competition programme must send video and photo material (trailer, poster, film stills, other appropriate material, photos of the creators - director, cast, others if applicable), short bio(s) of the filmmaker(s) and a full list of the production team (credits). IPFF is allowed to use this information for publicity and advertising purposes.

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            2.7. Copyright

            The applicant party must have full authority to submit their film to the IPFF and to own the copyright of the work, including all rights to the music used. IPFF is not responsible for any claims made by a third party regarding copyright and related rights.

            The applicant party agrees that the films selected in the competition programme will be screened within the framework of the festival programme in the cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, as well as in the online edition of the festival and IPFF’s accompanying events.

            The applicant party agrees that their film could also be potentially screened in various cities of Bulgaria as part of IPFF's accompanying programme throughout the following year (2024). Should an opportunity for that occur, the festival team will contact the applicant party for confirmation. In case of a lack of response by the latter, IPFF can still showcase the film if the event is free of charge and doesn't bring any financial profit to the festival's team or any other physical or legal entity.

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            2.8. Submission fees

            - Earlybird deadline - 23.02 – 23.04.2023 - 12 USD

            - Regular deadline - 24.04 – 23.07.2023 - 15 USD

            - Extended deadline - 24.07 – 17.09.2023 - 18 USD

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            Submission fees are not refundable

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            2.9. Application procedure / platforms and notification

            The application will be considered accepted upon the cumulative fulfilment of the following conditions:

            - the applicant has completed all the fields required by the relevant platform;

            - the applicant has paid the relevant participation fee.

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            When submitting a film, the applicant agrees, in the event that the film is selected in the competition programme, to give IPFF a permission to download a copy or to provide a link to access the film outside/beyond the application platform. The copy or link provided will only be used for access by festival jury members.

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    3. Categories

    The categories in 2023 are 6:

            - Film portrait

            - Collective portrait

            - Alternative portrait

            - Film self-portrait

            - Portrait in motion (screendance/dance film)

            - Portrait in a magic lantern (animated film)

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    4. Awards

    The awarded films in each category are determined by an authoritative international jury. IPFF will award the best portrait creations with:

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            The grand prize IPFF 2023 – the MAYA Award

            Award for the most wonderful portrait creation in each category

            Film Dedication Award (a film about a cause aiming towards a brighter and better world)

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    5. Festival organiser

    Portret Films Ltd.

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    6. Funding

    IPFF is а film festival that is funded and financed by Portret Films Ltd. and by submission fees from applicants, as well as by support in the form of public grants.

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    By submitting an application through the FilmFreeway platform or the Festhome platform, the applicant agrees to all the conditions in this RULES AND TERMS section regarding participation in IPFF.

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    Submit your film
    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • CATEGORIES

    There's a place where you can take refuge. A place inside you, a place to which no one else has access. CATEGORIES
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    IPFF - CATEGORIES

    Competition programme

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    Film portrait

    One human being is at the centre of the film portrait.

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    The human as a contradiction: a wandering creature whose existence is always absurd and meaningless, at the same time a creature-universe with no outline, no beginning and no end, capable of being a magnificent inspirer.

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    A film portrait can be documentary, fictional or radically experimental. About a popular personage (historical figure, athlete, artist...), or about the person you meet at the park every day.

    Collective portrait

    A portrait of a group of people. The heart of the films in this category is the collective. This is a film about a society, a band, a community, a nation.

    Alternative portrait

    A non-human portrait. Of a stray dog or of a pet. Of every living being whose language people have difficulty understanding. An alternative portrait can also be that of inanimate objects that cinema breathes life into. The plant in the corner. The umbrella on the hanger. Or it can even be the portrait of an abstract idea or a philosophical puzzle.

    Self-portrait

    A portrait of the ‘me, myself and I’. A film self-portrait. About the world of personal achievements, failures, fears, manias, adventures.

    Portrait in motion (screendance/dance film)

    A portrait in a specific form - that of the intersection of cinema and dance, the exciting art and practice known as screendance. The portrait is obligatory but undefined. It can be of a person, of the self, of a collective or an alternative portrait. The condition here is that the means of expression within the work is through the symbiosis of dance and film, or screendance.

    Portrait in a magic lantern (animated film)

    A portrait belonging to the art of animation, where creative thought transforms into movement of lines, shapes and colours, springing deep from the director's imagination. Here too, the portrait can be of a person, of the self, of a collective or of everything that is part of IPFF’s alternative portrait category (check Alternative portrait).

    Focus Ecology

    In 2023, the International Portrait Film Festival invites and encourages the screenings of film works dedicated to environmental themes and topics. Portraits of specific problems, as well as of natural phenomena, portraits of activists and experts working in the field - are welcome and will be featured in a special cinema panorama: Focus Ecology. Why? So we can start a discussion about humanity, about our destructive and creative actions, and about the possibilities and the dangers lurking around the corner in our collective future on Earth.

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • AWARDS

    I like things that look like mistakes. AWARDS
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    IPFF - AWARDS

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    The awarded films in each category are determined by an international jury of professionals with impressive accomplishments in their respected fields: film practitioners, academics, film critics, culturologists, authors, journalists. Presenting their different points of view, they distinguish the best films among the Official Selection of the festival.

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    IPFF will award the best portrait creations with:

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            The grand prize IPFF 2023 - MAYA Award*

            - An invitation to the IPFF festival days in Sofia within the following edition - IPFF 2024 - covered by the IPFF

            - specially made copper statuette

            - digital laurels ‘Maya Award IPFF 2023’

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            Award for the most wonderful portrait creation in each category

            - specially made copper statuette

            - digital laurels ‘International Portrait Film Festival - Most Wonderful Film Award’

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            IPFF also presents a special award for a Film Dedication about the contribution of a person or about a cause aiming towards a brighter and better world

            - specially made copper statuette

            - digital laurels ‘International Portrait Film Festival - Film Dedication Award’

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            Digital laurels ‘International Portrait Film Festival - Official Selection’ for all selected films

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            *The MAYA Award is named after a brilliant filmmaker, activist for avant-garde cinema, poet, true experimenter, film theorist, and dancer Maya Deren. Her magical short works, portraits of herself, or of dancers, or of strange phenomena, have been and will always be a source of inspiration for film artists and for everyone willing to experience cinema, dive into it, think and talk about it with the greatest of passions.

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • PROGRAMME

    Why do we sit so close? Maybe it was because we wanted to receive the images first. PROGRAMME
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    IPFF - PROGRAMME

    Competition Programme – full details in early November 2023!

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    Accompanying Programme:

    Each year the accompanying programme of the festival places two obligatory accents:

    - Film Dedication - screening of a film about a significant person or collective of people, with a contribution to the positive evolution of humanity;

    - Live Portrait - lectures-discussions, masterclasses, intriguing events – with the participation of people working in a variety of film areas – all the details in early November 2023!

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

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SUBMIT THROUGH THE PLATFORMS FILMFREEWAY FESTHOME

JURY

  • The importance

    of points

    of view

    I have to listen, more than ever I have to look around me at the world… IPFF - JURY
    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    The importance of points of view

  • Ann Oren

    What comes true here is that which reflects the essence of your nature. It is within you. IPFF - JURY
    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    IPFF JURY - Ann Oren

  • Svetoslav

    Draganov

    I drink a lot of coffee before I go to sleep so I can dream faster. IPFF - JURY
    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    IPFF JURY - Svetoslav Draganov

  • Bénédicte

    Alloing and

    Ellénore

    Lemattre

    but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange. IPFF - JURY
    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    IPFF JURY - Bénédicte Alloing and Ellénore Lemattre

  • Jack

    Catling

    Everything can happen. Everything is possible and probable. Time and space do not exist. IPFF - JURY
    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    IPFF JURY - Jack Catling

  • Matthew

    Luck Galpin

    On a flimsy framework of reality, the imagination spins, weaving new patterns. IPFF - JURY
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    IPFF JURY - Matthew Luck Galpin

  • David

    Stearn

    On a flimsy framework of reality, the imagination spins, weaving new patterns. IPFF - JURY
    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    IPFF JURY - David Stearn

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NEW IN 2023

  • ONLINE

    VIDEO SERIES

    ONLINE VIDEO SERIES
    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    IPFF - FILMMAKERS SHARE & PORTRAIT REPORTAGE

    In 2022 and 2023, The IPFF reaches out to artists and filmmakers from its the past three editions and invites them to share in video format insights from their creative processes, as well as their unique points of view on the portrait, short filmmaking, film festivals, and more. The collected ideas become the Filmmakers Share video series.

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    Portrait Reportage is the second online video series by the IPFF. It is dedicated to specific examples of the phenomenon of portraiture in various arts and forms of expression. IPFF 'reporters' are invited to participate in it - people living in different parts of the world, intrigued by the power and possibilities of the portrait.

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    The videos of the two video series become part of IPFF’s YouTube channel and are also shared on our social media channels. Our goal is to strengthen the IPFF community, welcome new curious viewers and filmmakers, communicate with each other and enrich everyone interested in the portrait philosophy and in the art of cinema.

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    You can join in too! If interested in taking part in one or both of the video series - write to us at ipffestival@gmail.com.

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      IPFF - FILMMAKERS SHARE                                       IPFF - PORTRAIT REPORTAGE

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        More information about FILMMAKERS SHARE HERE.                                                    More information about PORTRAIT REPORTAGE HERE.

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • THEMATIC

    EVENTS

    THEMATIC EVENTS
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    IPFF - THEMATIC EVENTS

    With a series of live thematic events, IPFF is building a bridge between its past and future editions. Creating connections between artists and audiences, enriching the exchange with more density and new nuances.

    In 2023, the IPFF will work in three main directions.

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    Educational initiatives

    In November 2023, the International Portrait Film Festival will once again visit the city of Varna, offering enriching educational modules for kids and students. The planned activities are related to creative workshops dedicated to portraiture with a focus on the photographic portrait and the possibilities of the medium of collage.

    In partnership with CinEd and Ralitsa Asenova (co-founder of the festival Meetings of Young Cinema and jury of IPFF in 2021), the IPFF will carry out a full day of activities for students - research of specific examples of Lithuanian documentary portrait films, talks and discussions, practical exercises, tied to the cinematic experience.

    This year, the IPFF team produces a short film and project called "Portrait of Water" to raise awareness of environmental issues related to access to water. The finished documentary-poetic film product will be presented in the space Swimming Pool in Sofia, as well as in four educational institutions in the country: Private Profiled High School "Antoine de Saint-Exupéry" (Varna), Professional High School of Ecology and Biotechnology "Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov" (Sofia), Secondary School "Hristo Botev" (village of Dolni Tsibar, Montana region) and Professional High School of Agriculture "Zemya" (Provadia).

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    Cultural events in alternative spaces

    In 2023, IPFF aims to further expand the idea of cultural events that are positioned in a variety of spaces beyond the conventional ones. A lecture-discussion is planned in the city of Varna - "The portrait phenomenon - cultural memory of individuals, societies, cities", which will be held on the construction site of a building under construction - a consciously sought-after atmosphere that implies new perspectives on the perception and knowledge of the portrait.

    The IPFF team has been invited to participate in the summer initiatives of the Fagaras Research Institute and is due to visit Fagaras, Romania, in order to exchange ideas on the positioning of cultural events and products in alternative spaces - a research focus of the institute at the moment.

    In a continuing partnership with Adventure Camp Emen, IPFF plans a second screening in the village of Emen in the summer of 2023, taking the cultural product of film portraits outside the major urban centers and presenting portrait films with environmental themes, raising important questions and provoking intriguing debates.

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    Partnerships with international cultural institutions related to the portrait - institutes, galleries, museums

    You can expect specific information in the spring and summer months.

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • Experiments

    2023

    Experiments 2023
    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    IPFF - Experiments 2023

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    This year, IPFF will once again swim in the wild waters of bold experimentation. In the fall of 2023, a performance-dialogue "Me and my inspiration - living portraits" is about to take place.

    The performance-dialogue will deepen the topic of (self-)portraiture. It will give arguments and criteria for looking at the portrait as an aesthetic category and an opportunity for interaction between the person portrayed and the person portraying. It will include a photo shoot in an urban environment and a conversation-interview about the portrait, and the final results will be presented in a digital exhibition.

    Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get the latest news.

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    IPFF Experiments - 2021-2022

    In 2021, the International Portrait Film Festival created a competition module for photographic portraits to expand its activities to another visual creative field, in addition to cinema. 24 photographs were selected and became part of a photo exhibition during the festival days in November.Silvia Husek's series "To live is to die" was chosen as the winner by the jury of the photo contest. Now the creation is “entering” a virtual art incubator and will be an inspiration for more artists working across various mediums. Here are the phases of the creative experiment.

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    Silvia Husek's series "To live is to die" was chosen as the winner by the jury of the photo contest. Now the creation is “entering” a virtual art incubator and will be an inspiration for more artists working across various mediums. Here are the phases of the creative experiment.

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    Portrait pathway:

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    Art Incubator phase 1: Photographic images and words - texts inspired by the series "To live is to die"; process: January-February 2022; presentation of results: February 2022.

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    Art Incubator phase 2: Photographic images, words and colors - illustrations inspired by the series "To live is to die" and the texts created based on it - collaboration with painters and visual artists; process: March-May 2022; presentation of results: June 2022.

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    Art Incubator phase 3: Photographic images, words, colors and cinema - a short film inspired by the series "To live is to die", the texts created based on it, as well as the illustrations created in phase 2 - collaboration with a video artist / filmmaker; process: July-September; presentation of results + exhibition with the full path of the portrait through the art incubator: November 2022.

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • Photo Contest

    2023

    Photo Contest 2023
    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    ipff - Photo Contest 2023: The self-portrait - is this me?

    More information - coming very soon!

    Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get the latest news.

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    IPFF Photo Contest - 2021-2022

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    Strongly believing in the power of experimentation and synergy between various arts, in 2022, with its third edition, IPFF continues the development of “Portrait Pathways”: a competition module for photographic portraits in the following categories:

            Portrait of a lady (a portrait inspired by another historical time, past or future)

            Portrait of a lady on fire (a queer portrait)

            Portrait in sepia (a monochrome portrait)

            Portrait of the artist as a young man (a surreal portrait)

            The picture of Dorian Gray (a very beautiful or a very grotesque portrait / portrait-grotesque)

            Self-portrait with ear and pipe (self-portrait of the photographer)

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    The experiment was open to photography projects by professionals and amateurs from around the world. The selected best photo portraits became part of an exhibition during the festival events of IPFF 2022.

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    One of all the selected photographs was awarded as a winner and became a starting point for experimental transformations - in a virtual art incubator it was an inspiration for subsequent creations within various arts and practices.

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JOIN US BE A VOLUNTEER BE A PATRON BE A SPONSOR SHARE YOUR IDEA

TEAM

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IZABELA MANOLOVA AWARDS COORDINATOR
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ARCHIVE 2022

  • FESTIVAL 2022

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
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    IPFF - FESTIVAL 2022

    EDITION 3

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    ABOUT THE THIRD EDITION OF IPFF

    37 exciting films in the Official Selection of the festival, 23 extra-special film treasures split into two online selections, 6 screenings and 8 accompanying events in 4 Bulgarian cities, online edition in an international virtual festival platform, 7 award-winning works, numerous shared moments, points of view, creative provocations and the beginning of a bunch of warm friendships!

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    And beyond the numbers:

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    In the year 2022, under the slogan Opening the Frame, the International Portrait Film Festival (IPFF) realized its third edition and once again invited viewers, creators and all those in love with cinema to rediscover the cinematic portrait and let it shake their imaginations.

    IPFF continues to declare its unique philosophy and seek readings of it. What is a portrait in cinema and what does it offer us? What is its power, potential and uniqueness? Can it transform us? Why is it such a 'human' phenomenon and an act of courage?

    We are happy and proud that, for the third time in a row, the concept of the festival and our mission have been recognized by filmmakers from five continents - artists with established names, directors at the beginning of their creative journey, independent collectives and organizations. And we are more than delighted that 37 diverse and nuanced film portraits were selected for the IPFF Official Selection.

    As a continuing and growing tradition, we've also highlighted special film treasures that have earned a place in two separate online selections: For the peculiar-eyed Selection and Thrilling Impressions Selection.

    The IPFF International Jury awarded films in each of the festival categories.

    A special emphasis was placed on the 2022 Film-Dedication - Teacher of Patience, directed by Carmen Vincent and inviting us into the world of Emily Felter and her family. Emily lives with Down Syndrome, but also with her favorite songs, things to eat, places in town, loved ones, friends and cats. The mission and aspiration of Emily, her family and young director Carmen Vincent's film is to raise awareness about people with disabilities. An important and emotional collective portrait that opened the third edition of the festival.

    Seven films were awarded for their unforgettable messages, impressive audio-visual language and sensual charge. For the most beautiful creation in each category (Film Portrait, Film Self-Portrait, Collective Portrait, Alternative Portrait, Portrait in Motion, Film-Dedication and the Grand Prize of the IPFF - the MAYA Award), the artists received a handmade plastic statuette of copper and marble. Thanks to the imagination and hands of Izabela Manolova and Martin Christoph.

    The third edition of the festival was realized in its hybrid form. During live screenings, viewers in the Bulgarian cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo and Varna encountered fascinating film portraits. And through the online platform Festhome TV, specializing in the digitization of film events, the short film selection of the IPFF was accessible to cinema fans and lovers in different parts of the world.

    With each festival edition, the accompanying program becomes richer and more interesting and involves new audiences in the study of the portrait as a cultural phenomenon. In 2022, the festival’s fans had the opportunity to get involved in events with different formats:

    "Portrait Pathways: Artincubator" - photography exhibition in Sofia and Varna;

    Art history, the documentary and me" - lecture-discussion. Host: Anna Weltner - member of the international jury of IPFF 2022 (SOHO Sofia);

    "In the eye of the camera" - lecture-discussion. Presenter: Irmena Chichikova - member of the international jury of IPFF 2022 (SOHO Sofia);

    "The portrait in Oscar Wilde's novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray"" – lecture. Author and lecturer: Prof. Dr. Liza Boeva – member of the international jury of IPFF 2022 (SOHO Sofia);

    "When Flowers Are Not Silent" - screening of the documentary film from Belarus directed by Andrey Kutsila (Cinema House, Sofia);

    "Following the portrait" - creative workshop for kids and students (ages 10-18) (SeArt Gallery, Varna);

    "Films, Portraits, Film portraits" - quiz game (The Bookstore, Varna).

    Once again an open virtual discussion panel with the participation of directors of the selected films gave the opportunity to present different points of view on the portrait film, the short film and the festival life of films.

    The third edition of the IPFF earned the attention of some of the best cultural media and public platforms in Bulgaria, through which the ideas of the festival and the filmmakers reached their audiences. Many thanks to our loyal media partners Culture News (Kulturni novini), How2Plovdiv and Urban Mag.

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    And all the meetings, sharing and emotions in the movie theatres and spaces made us happy and eager for the coming fourth edition of IPFF in 2023!

    We dream and work hard to develop and improve IPFF with each edition! We believe that in this way we will give more value and meaning to the people to whom short cinema brings a strong charge - creators, viewers, researchers.

    With these aspirations, in the fourth edition of the festival, we are launching new activities with which IPFF will become a living and active platform for ideas and experiences related to the portrait as a cinematic prism and a cultural phenomenon.

    See more about our searches, provocations and directions in 2023 in the website section NEW IN 2023!

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • SELECTIONS

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - OFFICIAL SELECTION 2022

    37 films shape our remarkable Official Selection in 2022: unfolding narratives about people and their dreams, desires, joys, struggles. Love letters to cinema and summer. Dancing, modelling, moving! Lessons about history and health. Debate-worthy portraits deserving of the big screen experience.

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    FILM SELF-PORTRAIT CATEGORY

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    COLLECTIVE PORTRAIT CATEGORY

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    ALTERNATIVE PORTRAIT CATEGORY

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    PORTRAIT IN MOTION CATEGORY

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    PORTRAIT IN A MAGIC LANTERN CATEGORY

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    You can find more about the films in our Official Selection HERE.

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    IPFF - ONLINE SELECTIONS 2022

    We also highlighted films that deserved a place in separate online selections, which we named For the peculiar-eyed and Thrilling Impressions.

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    IPFF - FOR THE PECULIAR-EYED SELECTION              IPFF - THRILLING IMPRESSIONS SELECTION

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    More about the curious films in our For the peculiar-eyed Selection HERE.                More about the unforgettable films in our Thrilling Impressions Selection HERE.

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • WINNERS

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - WINNERS 2022

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • JURY

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - JURY 2022

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ARCHIVE 2021

  • FESTIVAL 2021

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - FESTIVAL 2021

    EDITION 2

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    ABOUT THE SECOND EDITION OF IPFF

    55 fantastic films in our Official Selection, 26 extra-special film treasures part of our online selections, 7 screenings in 2 unique cinemas and 3 welcoming venues in 4 Bulgarian cities, an online edition, 7 award-winning works, numerous shared ideas, emotions and new friendships.

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    And beyond the numbers:

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    In 2021, under the slogan Let’s feel unusual, the International Portrait Film Festival (IPFF) had its second edition, inviting viewers, filmmakers and film lovers to rediscover the cinematic portrait and let it shake their imaginations.

    Although our times are still unpredictable and challenging, the IPFF continues to declare its unique philosophy and look for further exciting interpretations of it: the portrait as a prism through which we can watch films, perceive their messages, explore their human or non-human core; the portrait as a question encouraging us to look into the visible, go beyond and reveal its potential to affect and transform.

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    We are proud that the concept of the festival was recognised by filmmakers from five continents, as well as by the fact that in the Official Selection of IPFF, within a substantial competition, 55 intriguing film portraits were chosen - works about inspiring personalities, fictional narrative films telling touching stories, films of social significance, animated, comedic, highly experimental, surreal creations.

    We also highlighted films that deserved their own place in separate online selections, named For the peculiar-eyed and Thrilling Impressions.

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    The international jury of IPFF awarded films in each of the festival categories.

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    Special emphasis was placed on the 2021 Film Dedication – My Stellar Tale, a film by Bulgarian filmmaker Andrey Hristozov dedicated to the Smolyan Planetarium and the people working there, their mission and love for the sky and the stars.

    In the second edition of IPFF, seven films were awarded as unforgettable film portraits. For the most wonderful creation in each category (Film Portrait, Film Self-portrait, Collective Portrait, Alternative Portrait, Portrait in Motion, Film Dedication and the Grand Prize MAYA Award), the artists received a handmade statuette of copper and marble. Courtesy of Izabela Manolova’s imagination.

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    The second edition of the festival was realized in a hybrid form. During the live screenings, spectators in the Bulgarian cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo and Varna met the captivating film portraits. And through the Cinenso online platform, which specializes in digital film events, IPFF's short film selection was made available to cinema lovers around the world.

    The accompanying program of the festival included three events in various formats: “Portrait Pathways” - a photography exhibition; “The Videoessay: Informally on the Format” - open discussion; and “Films, Portraits and Film Portraits” - a quiz game.

    An open virtual Zoom discussion with the participation of directors of the selected films provided a chance to present different perspectives on the portrait film, short cinema and the festival life of cinematographic works.

    The second edition of IPFF earned the attention of some of the best culture-focused media and public platforms in Bulgaria, through which the ideas of the festival and the filmmakers reached their audiences (including the Bulgarian National Radio and the Bulgarian National Television).

    All the meetings and shared emotions in the cinema rooms and venues made us happy and eager for the upcoming edition of the IPFF in 2022!

    We keep dreaming and working hard to develop and upgrade IPFF with each new edition! We believe that this way we will give more value and meaning to people to whom the short film offers a strong charge - creators, viewers, researchers.

    With these aspirations, in the third edition of the festival, we launch new activities to turn IPFF into a living and active platform for ideas and experiences related to portraiture as a cinematic prism and a cultural phenomenon.

    Find out more about our searches, provocations and directions in 2022 in the website fragment NEW IN 2022!

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • SELECTIONS

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - OFFICIAL SELECTION 2021

    55 fantastic films shape our Official Selection in 2021: journeys to the stars and back home, visual poems about learning to balance and breath, explorations of cities and landscapes. Films which encourage us to immerse ourselves into the portraits of extraordinary people, strange ideas and marvelous situations.

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    FILM PORTRAIT CATEGORY

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    FILM SELF-PORTRAIT CATEGORY

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    COLLECTIVE PORTRAIT CATEGORY

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    ALTERNATIVE PORTRAIT CATEGORY

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    PORTRAIT IN MOTION CATEGORY

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    PORTRAIT IN A MAGIC LANTERN CATEGORY

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    You can find more about the films in our Official Selection HERE.

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    IPFF - ONLINE SELECTIONS 2021

    We also highlighted films that deserved a place in separate online selections, which we named For the peculiar-eyed and Thrilling Impressions.

    -

    -

    IPFF - FOR THE PECULIAR-EYED SELECTION            IPFF - THRILLING IMPRESSIONS SELECTION

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    -

    More about the curious films in our For the peculiar-eyed Selection HERE.                         More about the unforgettable films in our Thrilling Impressions Selection HERE.

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • WINNERS

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - WINNERS 2021

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    You can find more details HERE

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • JURY

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - JURY 2021

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ARCHIVE 2020

  • FESTIVAL 2020

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - FESTIVAL 2020

    EDITION 1

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    ABOUT THE FIRST EDITION OF IPFF

    44 wonderful films in our Official Selection, 22 extra-special film treasures part of our online selections, screenings in 4 unique cinemas in 3 Bulgarian cities and at 1 international virtual festival platform, 7 award-winning works, numerous shared ideas, emotions and new friendships!

    -

    And beyond the numbers!

    In 2020, under the slogan Into the depths of the contour lines, the International Portrait Film Festival (IPFF) had its premiere in the world of film festivals.

    -

    Although it appeared at a challenging time, IPFF stated its unique philosophy: the portrait as a prism through which we can watch films, perceive their messages, explore their core; to look into the visible, but to go beyond, revealing the potential of the film portrait to affect and transform.

    We are proud that the concept of the festival was recognised by filmmakers from all continents, as well as by the fact that in the Official Selection of IPFF, within a substantial competition, 44 intriguing film portraits were chosen - works about inspiring personalities, fictional narrative films telling exciting stories, films of social significance, animated, comedic, highly experimental, surreal creations.

    -

    We also highlighted films that deserved a place in separate online selections, which we named For the peculiar-eyed and Thrilling Impressions.

    The international jury of IPFF awarded films in each of the festival categories.

    -

    Special emphasis was placed on the 2020 Film Dedication - Feeling Through, which will continue its encounters with Bulgarian audiences in 2021!

    The first edition of the festival was realised in a hybrid form. During the live screenings, spectators in the Bulgarian cities of Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna met the captivating film portraits. And through the Cinenso online platform, which specialises in digital film events, IPFF's short film selection was made available to cinema lovers around the world.

    In the accompanying program of the festival, those tempted by the evolving audiovisual culture had the opportunity to participate in the masterclass "Bridging the Gap: The Audiovisual Essay in the Contemporary Media Sphere", led by Shant Bayramian.

    An open virtual Zoom discussion panel with the participation of directors of the selected films provided a chance to present different perspectives on the portrait film, short cinema and the festival life of cinematographic works.

    The first edition of IPFF earned the attention of some of the best culture-focused media and public platforms in Bulgaria, through which the ideas of the festival and the filmmakers reached their audiences (including the Bulgarian National Radio and the Bulgarian National Television).

    -

    All the meetings, emotions and sharing in the cinema rooms and venues made us happy and eager for the upcoming second edition of IPFF in 2021!

    -

    -

    -

    We keep dreaming and working hard to develop and upgrade IPFF with each new edition! We believe that this way we will give more value and meaning to people to whom the short film offers a strong charge - creators, viewers, researchers.

    -

    With these aspirations, in the second edition of the festival, we launch new activities to turn IPFF into a living and active platform for ideas and experiences related to portraiture as a cinematic prism and a cultural phenomenon.

    -

    Find out more about our searches, provocations and directions in 2021 in the website fragment NEW IN 2021!

    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • SELECTIONS

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - OFFICIAL SELECTION 2020

    We are thrilled that the concept of the festival was recognised by filmmakers from all continents, as well as by the fact that in the Official Selection of IPFF, within a substantial competition, 44 intriguing film portraits were chosen - works about inspiring personalities, fictional narrative films telling exciting stories, films of social significance, animated, comedic, highly experimental, surreal creations.

    -

    -

    -

    FILM PORTRAIT CATEGORY

    -

    -

    -

    -

    -

    -

    FILM SELF-PORTRAIT CATEGORY

    -

    -

    -

    COLLECTIVE PORTRAIT CATEGORY

    -

    -

    -

    -

    ALTERNATIVE PORTRAIT CATEGORY

    -

    -

    -

    -

    PORTRAIT IN MOTION CATEGORY

    -

    -

    -

    You can find more about the films in our Official Selection HERE.

    -

    -

    -

    -

    IPFF - ONLINE SELECTIONS 2020

    We also highlighted films that deserved a place in separate online selections, which we named For the peculiar-eyed and Thrilling Impressions.

    -

    -

    IPFF - FOR THE PECULIAR-EYED SELECTION            IPFF - THRILLING IMPRESSIONS SELECTION

    -

    -

    More about the curious films in our For the peculiar-eyed Selection HERE.                         More about the unforgettable films in our Thrilling Impressions Selection HERE.

    -

    -

    -

    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • WINNERS

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - WINNERS 2020

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    You can find more details HERE

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

  • JURY

    ТОВА НЕ НИ ТРЯБВА КАК ЛИ СЕ ИЗКЛЮЧВА? ДА ПИТАМ ДИМИТРОВ
    Onepage Portfolio Single Awesome Project Title Here #3
    IPFF - JURY 2020

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    MORE INFORMATION HERE FACEBOOK

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INTERNATIONAL PORTRET FILM FESTIVAL

CONTACT US!
+359 88 7331 067  |     ipffestival@gmail.com
PORTRET FILMS Ltd.

BULGARIA, 1024 SOFIA
75 TSAR IVAN ASEN II Str.

E-mail

ipffestival@gmail.com

Phone:

+359 88 7331 067