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11.10.2024

The Cinelibri 2024 Festival offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy cinema and literature in the heart of Sofia. If you're planning a visit, our rental apartments in Sofia are located close to the main festival venues, such as the National Palace of Culture (NDK). Staying in the center of Sofia ensures easy access to all the cultural events the city has to offer during the festival. Book short-term accommodation in Sofia and immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of Cinelibri 2024.

 

The tenth edition of the International Film and Literature Festival Cinelibri 2024 will take place from October 10 (Thursday) to November 3 (Sunday) in Sofia and six other Bulgarian cities (Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, and Stara Zagora).
It is expected to showcase some of the latest cinematic works inspired by literature, as well as timeless classics, various events and meetings, and a number of special guests from Bulgaria and abroad.

This year's festival motto is “Endless Poetry.”
It pays tribute to the poetic luminaries such as Pierre de Ronsard (the great French poet of the Renaissance era), the famous Chilean poet and Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda, the Mexican poet, essayist, and Nobel laureate Octavio Paz, the Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, George Byron, Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Verlaine, the Bulgarian poet and translator Atanas Dalchev, and many others. It is also a reference to the film of the same name by Alejandro Jodorowsky.

The opening of the Cinelibri 2024 festival will be on October 10 (Thursday) at 7:00 PM in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture (NDK), just a few minutes’ walk from our apartments.
After the official ceremony, visitors will be able to watch the screening of Paolo Sorrentino’s new film “Il Divo,” just before its world premiere.
The Italian-French production was among the nominees for the “Palme d'Or” at Cannes this year. The leading role is played by Celeste Dalla Porta, alongside Gary Oldman, Stefania Sandrelli, Luisa Ranieri, Isabella Ferrari, Silvio Orlando, and others.

The official award ceremony for the laureates of the prestigious international jury will be on October 25 (Friday) at 7:00 PM again in Hall 1 of NDK (National Palace of Culture). Following that, Pedro Almodóvar's film “The Neighboring Room,” which won the “Golden Lion” at the Venice Film Festival earlier this September, will be screened. The leading roles in Pedro Almodóvar's first English-language film are played by Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore.

The chairman of the international jury for the feature film competition will be the Italian-Argentinian actor Ignacio Sericcio. The other jury members are Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova, actress Anne Cusack, writer Christine Leunens, and playwright Daniel Kehlmann.

Among the special guests at this year's 10th edition of the International Film and Literature Festival Cinelibri 2024 will be Scottish writer Irvine Welsh, author of the novel “Trainspotting,” who, together with director Ian Jeffries, will present the documentary “Choose Irvine” on October 16 (Wednesday) at Lumiere Cinema; writer Kapka Kassabova; animator Theodore Ushev; directors Dani Rosenberg and Misha Pekel; producer Anita Modak-Truran; and others.

As a tradition, various gala evenings will be held during the festival:

  • Spain Night - October 11 (Friday) - at 7:00 PM at Lumiere Cinema - “Waiting for Dali” - a comedy inspired by the personality of Salvador Dali;
  • Greece Night - October 13 (Sunday) - at 7:00 PM at the House of Cinema - “Zorba the Greek” with Anthony Hopkins;
  • Portugal Night - October 15 (Tuesday) - at 7:00 PM at the House of Cinema - “Playing with Fire” - premiere;
  • Chile Night - October 16 (Wednesday) - at 7:00 PM at the House of Cinema - “Neruda,” dedicated to the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda;
  • Poland Night - October 17 (Thursday) - at 7:00 PM at the House of Cinema - “Jagna and the Peasants” - premiere;
  • Finland Night - October 18 (Friday) - at 6:15 PM at the House of Cinema - “Light, Light, Light” - premiere;
  • Fashion Gala - October 20 (Sunday) - at 7:00 PM at Toplozentralata - “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” based on the novel by Truman Capote;
  • Romania Night - October 22 (Tuesday) - at 7:00 PM at Odeon Cinema - “Ana Blandiana: Between Silence and Sin” - a documentary dedicated to Romanian poet and dissident Ana Blandiana;
  • Hungary Night - October 24 (Thursday) - at 7:00 PM at the House of Cinema - “The Royal Game,” an adaptation of Stefan Zweig’s “Chess Story” - premiere;
  • Japan Night - October 31 (Thursday) - at 7:00 PM at the House of Cinema - “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” - based on the bestseller by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, which was also released in Bulgarian this summer; the atmosphere of the evening will be enhanced by the aromatic coffee from NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto;
  • Ireland Night - November 1 (Friday) - at 7:00 PM at the House of Cinema - “Facing the Rising Sun” - premiere, with live Irish music performed by the band Sonas.

Another highlight of the Cinelibri 2024 program is the days dedicated to the great French writer Romain Gary, who arrived in Bulgaria in 1946 as a diplomat.
At the French Institute in Sofia, the films “The Shine of a Woman,” “The Sorcerer,” and “The Bookseller” will be screened.

Literary meetings will also be organized:

  • Irvine Welsh - October 17 (Thursday) - at 7:00 PM - Central Halls stage, free entry;
  • Christine Leunens - October 23 (Wednesday) - at 7:00 PM - Central Halls stage, free entry;
  • Daniel Kehlmann - October 24 (Thursday) - at 7:00 PM - Goethe Institute, free entry;

On October 26 and 27, for the first time within the festival, a cinema-literature forum BOB (Based On Books) will be held, with participants from Bulgaria, France, Germany, England, Scotland, Norway, Czech Republic, Greece, and the USA.

You can find the complete program of films and events at www.cinelibri.com/programa/.

The festival is realized with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the National Culture Fund, the National Film Center, the Sofia Municipality, the Plovdiv Municipality, the Varna Municipality, the Burgas Municipality, the Veliko Tarnovo Municipality, the Gabrovo Municipality, and the Regional Library “Zahari Knyazheski,” the Stara Zagora Municipality.

Partners of this year's edition of Cinelibri 2024 include UniCredit Bulbank, Schweppes, NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto, Fashion Days, Kaufland Bulgaria, Avène Dermatological Laboratories, TatraTea, Philip Morris Bulgaria EOOD, #ChangeThePicture, and others.
The official transport providers of the festival are Moto-Pfohe rent a car and Bulgaria Air.

 

If you're planning a visit to Sofia for Cinelibri 2024 or other cultural events, our one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom apartments in the center of Sofia offer comfort and convenience for every need. Located just steps away from the key festival venues, they provide the perfect accommodation for those looking to enjoy the city's vibrant cultural scene. Whether you're traveling alone, with a partner, or with the whole family, our apartments offer a cozy and luxurious stay for an unforgettable experience in Sofia.