Sofia Film Fest Returns With Summer and Autumn Editions
After the spring false start of the most anticipated cinema event in Bulgaria – Sofia Film Fest, due to the epidemic situation in the country, the organizers still found an alternative way to reach the audience. A summer edition is coming, and then an autumn edition, so that the fans of the Seventh Art can enjoy of many Bulgarian and foreign movies.
Sofia Film Fest Summer – indoors, outdoors and online
The festival has already restarted with preliminary screenings at the Cinema House in Sofia on June 5th. However, the official opening will be on June 25 in Platform A6 of the National Palace of Culture with something very special – the film “Parasite”, winner of 4 Oscars, “Golden Flame” from Cannes and more than 200 other awards around the world.
Online movies
Sofia Film Fest will offer part of its program online – about 80 titles. The movies will be available for a certain number of views in a little over 3 weeks.
Home of the cinema
A special selection of movies will be presented at the Cinema House in Sofia. With the exception of some Bulgarian films, the program will contain titles that are not repeated with the online edition or open-air screenings. And there is another bonus for the viewers – an opportunity to meet some of the Bulgarian authors.
Outdoor
The third module of the summer edition is on open platforms. The opening and the ceremony, as well as some other gala screenings will be in Platform A6 of the National Palace of Culture. There will also be the Open Stage platform in the park of the Military Academy, and content will be shared in the new Sofia Summer Fest platform behind the Earth and People Museum.
Awards
The awards were determined by a specially selected international and Balkan jury and will be presented on July 6th. The chairman of the international commission is the British director Peter Weber (“The Girl with the Pearl Earring”), and his assistants are the producers Nicholas Selis (Mexico, producer of “Roma”) and Jim Stark (USA, producer of the early films of Jim Jarmusch), and the Bulgarian actress Irmena Chichikova.
Sofia Film Fest Autumn
The autumn edition will be from the end of September to the middle of October this year. This will take place in several cinemas in Sofia, and the program will mainly include titles that were not part of the summer festival.
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If you are big fans of the Seventh Art and you want to be part of the upcoming editions of Sofia Film Fest in Sofia, welcome to Art Hotel Simona. It matters where we spend the night, so we offer you to turn your stay in the capital into a real art experience.
Where the Name of Sofia Comes From
Over the centuries, the current Bulgarian capital has had different names. And this is not surprise, because of that its history dates back to the early Neolithic – somewhere around VI millennium BC.
The legend of Sofia
The name of the city is believed to have come from the mighty Emperor Justinian I and his daughter. Legend tells that although he was a very rich and prosperous ruler, he hadn’t been happy person at all. And the reason for this was the fact that his daughter Sofia had been seriously ill. Famous doctors from all over the world tried to cure her, but without success.
The emperor’s advisers told him that the fresh air of nature, peace and quiet might help her. So Justinian decided to try and ordered them to find such a place. And it was the foothills of Vitosha Mountain, where the small Slavic town of Sredets was located at the time.
The miracle of nature
There were mineral springs, the climate was mild and pleasant, and the air was filled with the aroma of flowers and fruits. It turned out that the change of circumstances really helped the sick Sofia and very soon she began to improve, the smile on her face returned, as well as her desire to sing. When she fully recovered, the girl decided to stay in this beautiful city forever.
A special gift
Justinian I ordered a church to be built in the center of the city. It was called “St. Sophia”, and later people begin to call the city the same way – Sofia *.
* Source of the legend: Bulgarian in One Breath (author Elena Stoyanova)
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If you have a trip to Sofia and you are looking for a profitable and pleasant place to stay, welcome to Art Hotel Simona – an artistic atmosphere, delicious food and a new standard in cleaning.
We are waiting for you!
Art Hotel Simona with Special Precautions
Information for coronavirus spread in Bulgaria has been constantly changing in recent days. For this reason, we would like to assure you that Art Hotel Simona takes all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our visitors and employees.
Measures
Periodically we clean, ventilate and disinfect common parts in the hotel, rooms and surfaces such as countertops, door locks and toilet with special preparations. All employees observe good personal hygiene at any potential contamination, and work with personal protective equipment – sanitary masks and gloves.
Symptoms:
- Temperature;
- Cough;
- Sore throat;
- Fatigue;
- Difficult breathing.
Distribution:
Experts explain that the virus spreads from person to person. This can be by direct contact, by touching objects or surfaces that have been contaminated by droplets from a person with a confirmed infection. It is not yet clear how long a person may be a vector for the infection, but doctors told about people without any symptoms or minimal symptoms that transmit the infection to others. 14 days quarantine is recommended for travelers to China, Iran, Northern Italy or the Republic of Korea.
At highest risk
People with weak immune systems, the elderly and pregnant, and many young children and babies are most at risk. More people with heart and lung diseases should be more carefull, too.
How to protect yourself from coronavirus?
Clean your hands regularly with an alcohol-based disinfectant or wash them with water and soap. When sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth and nose with a roll of your elbow or a napkin that you throw away immediately. Avoid contact with people who have fever and cough.
Wash your hands:
- After sneezing or coughing;
- When caring for the sick;
- Before, during and after cooking;
- Before meals;
- After using the toilet;
- When visibly contaminated;
- After contact with animals or their faeces.
For questions related to the coronavirus, you can call the Bulgarian Ministry of Health’s 24-hour hotline on 02 807 87 57.
All cultural Events in Sofia are Postponed
The insidious coronavirus has completely confused cultural life all around the world, and now in Bulgaria, too. That is why the cultural events related to the gathering of many people in one place are temporarily postponed. Due to the danger of the spread of the new virus, the Council of Ministers has decided to cancel all indoor events across the country.
The theatres have already postponed their performances, and the same has been done with the events in the National Palace of Culture, as well as with screenings in most of the cinemas. The International Sofia Film Fest, which was due to be officially open on March 12th (Thursday), is also being put off.
The Russian Church in Sofia – a Really Special Place
The temples in Sofia are not one or two, as is the case in all major cities. However, the Russian Church of St. Nicholas is more special than the rest. And the reason for this is not only the impressive architecture, nor the golden cubes or the always beautiful flower garden near the main entrance. There is no way to walk past such a building and not to fall in love with it, but there is something more spiritual and a little bit more mystical, too.
Interesting facts about the Russian Church
Construction began in the late 19th century and continued for many years. It is consecrated in 1914 on the eve of World War I. It is built on a plot of the Russian Embassy because of the needs of Russian emigrants in the capital, but the original idea is for a small chapel. However, the church become a centre of the numerous Russian immigration. After 1947, it passed under the authority of the Moscow Patriarchate, as it is today.
The impressive murals that adorn the walls of the church are work of a team of artists. Vasily Perminov, who is one of the authors of the murals in the cathedral temple “St. Alexander Nevski”, headed the team. In architectural terms, we see a combination of modern and traditional with preserved ancient Russian elements, combined with Old Russian mosaics and carvings.
But why is the Russian Church so special?
In the crypt of the temple is the tomb of Archbishop Seraphim Sobolev or just St. Seraphim, known as the Wonder Worker of Sofia. He arrived in Bulgaria in 1921 and became famous for his great love for people and for helping them a lot. He had the ability to heal incurable diseases through prayer. In his lifetime, Seraphim said, “We must see our brothers as angels, and their sins as diseases.” He believed that one person did not become bad for his bad actions and therefore could forgive everyone.
The stories of the people he helped are thousands. They also talk about his ability to predict the future and read the thoughts of the others. The day before he died, he told one of the laymen:
“When I leave, write me letters. If I am blessed with the opportunity to meet the God, I will intercede for you and ask him to help you”.
What You Must See in Sofia if You Only Have a Day
You are in Sofia but you do not have much free time for tours because your program is overflowing?! Still want to make the trip not only rewarding but enjoyable?! Then let us help you with some guidelines for what you should see in the capital if you only have one day!
Where to start the Sofia tour?
One day is too short period, but you may try to visit the most interesting places. So here are some suggestions for a quick and easy tour.
If you are free at lunch hours, you can take a bus trip – City Sightseeing Sofia. The tours last just over an hour and are organized every day of the week, starting at 12:00 noon. This is good way to see the most iconic places in the capital. And with the help of an experienced guide you will also learn interesting things about different sights. But if you prefer a more secluded experience, you can also enjoy private tours.
Another option for those who prefer to organize their time alone is a walking tour of the central part. A good starting point is the metro, in particular the Serdika metro station, where the 120 meter long platform reveals archaeological finds found during the construction of the underground road.
Ancient Sofia
Leaving the station, the ancient experience continues with the remains of the foundations of residential buildings from the ancient town of Serdika. Take a walk among them and visit the Church of St. Petka Samardzhiyska, where you should go up to the second floor, too. It is located at one exit of the subway. It was built in the 11th century on the foundations of a Roman tomb since the 4th century. According to the hypothesis of the bulgarian writer Nikolay Haitov, the Bulgarian Apostle of Freedom Vasil Levski was buried at this place.
Then you can continue your walk through the Central Department Store, next can make some selfies in front of the Bashi Bashi Mosque and the former City Mineral Bath. After that you can proceed to the Council of ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Presidency. Even if you aren’t keen on politics, buildings are definitely worth a look. We recommend that you go through the underpass opposite the metro exit because you will be able to see more remains of the ancient Sredets.
And if you are already tired, you may end up with shopping or with a walk along the Vitosha Boulevard. Along the way you will also see the Church of the Holy Sunday, in which the relics of Serbian King Stefan Uros II were stored in the 19th century. The temple has been known for its bloody terrorist attack since April 16, 1925, too, but we will not go into detail about it. For a final, you can have a drink something at one of Vitosha’s many cafes.
More suggestions for the tireless ones
There are a few other places interesting for visiting, although we don’t believe you’ll have the power to do anything. One of them is the magnificent Alexander Nevski Monument. Nearby you will find the monument of the Unknown Warrior and the sculpture of Samuel, as well as the Basilica of Saint Sophia and the archaeological museum below it (in case you manage to go at its working hours).
Have a good time!
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Afterwards, we are waiting for you at the cozy Art Hotel Simona and the 24-hour Simona Restaurant, where your stay will have a pleasant art taste. It is only 3 km from the city center. Excellent service and an amazing atmosphere are among the details that will take care of your good impression of the city.
