Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev was booed by some of the audience at the opening of the 40th edition of “Kinomania” in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture. When he took the microphone, viewers interrupted him with applause, boos and shouts of “Resign!” and “BCP!”. “Sega” reported the incident, citing accounts from people present in the hall.
The organizers had to remind the audience from the stage that the festival is also funded by the Ministry of Culture. The ceremony was then hastily cut short and the screening of the opening film began.
Tensions surrounding the Culture Ministry
The incident comes against the backdrop of criticism of cultural policy and the management of the ministry. In recent days, Miloshev's name has been linked to the closure of “Euro Cinema” in the Ministry of Culture building after 27 years of screenings of festival and European cinema, as well as to complaints from actors at theaters across the country about salaries delayed for months.
The publication also points to a planned reduction in the share of public spending on culture in gross domestic product. According to the estimates presented, it is expected to fall from 0.56% in 2026 to 0.43% in 2029.
The anniversary edition continues through December
Academician Lyudmil Staykov, the founder of the festival, which began in 1987 under the name “World Cinematic Panorama”, attended the opening. Staykov is 89 years old this year. Organizers Hristo Hristozov and Hermina Azaryan also spoke on stage.
The program opened with Martin McDonagh's “Wild Horse Nine”. The film stars John Malkovich, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. Before it, the short documentary “Kinomania: The Beginning” by Boris Missirkov and Georgi Bogdanov was screened.
The festival also opens on November 12 in Plovdiv and Varna, while in Burgas the program starts with “The Minotaur” by Andrey Zvyagintsev. On November 17, “Kinomania” will open in Stara Zagora, and a day later - in Blagoevgrad.
The titles also include winners of major awards from the Berlinale, Cannes and Venice. The program continues through early December in cinemas and online, and a screening of “The Drama” by Jesse Eisenberg, starring Julianne Moore, is also scheduled for December 9.
Sources: segabg.com