MEETING MINUTES of the meeting of the twenty-fifth edition of Golden Rhyton Festival of Bulgarian Documentary and Animated Film Jury, 4–10 Dec. 2020

Today, 10 December 2020, the Jury as follows:

President:

Prof. Mikhail Meltev, director/lecturer

Jury members:

Andrey Tsvetkov, animator

Veselina Bojilova, journalist

Dimitar Stoyanovich, screenwriter

Olga Markova, film critic/journalist

 

Watching the full competition programme and holding the due debates,

Decided to

Bestow as follows:

 

Golden Rhyton for Best Documentary goes to Before the End, producer: ProFilm – Assen Vladimirov, writer: Assen Vladimirov, cinematography: Emil Christov, dir.: Eldora Traykova

For the masterful artistic suggestion of a looming apocalypse;

 

Golden Rhyton for Best Animated Film goes to Santiago; producer: Koulev Film Production – Anri Koulev, writer: Andrey Koulev, dir.: Andrey Koulev, production designers: Assia Kovanova, Andrey Koulev

For the truthful and emotional narrative, compassionate message and salient graphical imagery;

 

Special Jury Award for Animated Film goes to Phantom represented by director Sotir Gelev, producer: Four Hands Studio – Sotir Gelev, Penko Gelev, writer and director: Sotir Gelev, animation: Blagoy Dimitrov, artist: Penko Gelev, music Roumen Boyadjieff Jr.

For a strong psychological metaphor translated over time into the language of animation;

 

Special Jury Award for Documentary Film goes to Passengers represented by directors Zdravko Dragnev, Tzvetan Dragnev, producer: Gala Film ltd – Galina Toneva, Kiril Kirilov, cinematography: Krassimir Stoichkov

For the moral fibre, for the ineradicable human dream;

 

Best Documentary Director goes to Eldora Traykova for Before the End; producer: ProFilm – Assen Vladimirov, writer: Assen Vladimirov, cinematography: Emil Christov

For the skilful handling of art techniques of documentary filmmaking, for the emotional insight into human destinies;

 

Cartoon Designer Award goes to Vladimir Shomov for Brainstorming. producer: ART 47 Ltd – Mariyana Pavlova, writer/animator/dir.: Vladimir Shomov, music: Kalin Nikolov

For the easiness of developing a metaphorical language;

 

Best Animated Film Debut Award goes to director Iliya Shekerdzhiev for Bolt, producer: Attract – Rumen Barosov, writer: Ivan Vesselinov, animator Iliya Shekerdzhiev, music: Ani Svinarova,

For a skilful artistic suggestion, achieved with 3D animation techniques; the precise composition and the clear message;

 

Best Documentary Debut Award goes to Dolya Gavanski for Women’s Day, producer: Thea Films – Dolya Gavanski, in co-production with: Agitprop – Martichka Bozhilova, Elemag Pictures – Borislav Chouchkov, Viktor Chouchkov,  cinematography: Mariana Kroutilin, Dmitry Lokhtionov, music: Sasha Puttnam, writer/dir.: Dolya Gavanski

For following the metamorphoses and the role of women in recent history;

 

The Award of the City of Plovdiv goes to director Maria Nikolova for her documentary Lucifer, producer: Four Hands Studio – Sotir Gelev, Penko Gelev, cinematography: Sotir Gelev, Blagoy Dimitrov, music: Blagoy Dimitrov, writer/dir.: Maria Nikolova

For the innovative approach to educational documentary filmmaking;

 

An Honourable Mention for a Documentary Portrait goes to Partsalev, producer: Korund-X Ltd – Hristo Hristov, writers: Marin Damyanov, Pencho Kovachev, cinematography: Tsvetan Nedkov, dir.: Valentina Fidanova-Kolarova

For the director’s skilful revealing of the Man behind his person’s popularity;

 

A Special Mention for a Documentary Film goes to The White Eagles, producer: Doli Media Studio – Dobromir Chochov, writer: Dimitar Nedyalkov, cinematography: Emil Topuzov, dir.: Vladimir Shterianov

For revealing the role of the individual in unique and specific historical events;

 

A Special Mention for a Documentary Film goes to Dorina; producer: Ars Digital Studio – Ivan Tonev, cinematography: Ivan Tonev, co-director of photography: Dimitar Mitov, writer/dir.: Atanas Kiryakov

For finding a captivating character related to this country’s recent history;

 

A Special Mention for an Animated Film goes to Marmalade, producer: Korund X Ltd – Hristo Hristov, writers: Radostina Neykova, Hanna Schwartz, cinematography: Blagoy Kostov, music: Petko Manchev, dir.: Radostina Neykova

For the unusual technique used in building the overall atmosphere of the film;

 

A Special Mention for an Animated Film goes to The Mud Man, producer: N Film Productios – Plamen Nikolov, writer: Ivan Vesselinov, music: Javier Navarrete, animator/dir.: Plamen Nikolov

For the specific animated expression of the self-destructive aggression in contemporary society.

 

President of the Jury: Prof. Mikhail Meltev

Members:

Andrey Tsvetkov

Veselina Bojilova

Dimitar Stoyanovich

Olga Markova