Yana Marinova and Luiza Grigorova-Makariev in Wildlings by Martin Makariev
SOFIA: Critical for culture and film worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was equally difficult for the film industry in Bulgaria.
The first severe restrictions of social and cultural life came after the vote of the Bulgarian Parliament in favour of a state of emergency from 13 March 2020, imposing a lockdown for a month. All culture and entertainment venues including cinemas were obliged to close.
As a result, only days after the official announcement of its 2020 lineup, the Sofia FF had to postpone its 24th edition, which was about to kick off on 12 March 2020 and to be followed by the 17th Sofia Meetings.
Ivan Barnev in The Father by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov
SOFIA: Bulgarian admissions decreased by 72%, while the box office fell by 73% in 2020, due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Total admissions were 1,337,951 and total box office was 6,485,835 EUR, compared to total admissions of 4,801,045 and total box office of 23,895,950 EUR in 2019. US films had 5, 074,515 EUR gross, European titles had 651,014 EUR gross, and domestic films had 596,640 EUR gross.
Aa total of 169 films were theatrically released in 2020, according to Bulgaria’s NFC. Those included 63 US films, 2 European films, 29 domestic films, and five films from other countries. Total admissions for US films were 1,024,215, admissions for European films were 143,003, and domestic films got 135,984 admissions.