The 15th edition of the Sofia International Film Fest started on March 4 at the National Palace of Culture /NPC/ with the American independent movie The Black Swan. Actress Natalie Portman was Oscar awarded for her leading role in it only a few days ago.

Over 200 titles will participate in the festival. 12 movies from Europe, Asia and Latin America will compete within the frameworks of the International Contest for Debut and Second Movies. On the other hand, the best titles from the region will compete at the Balkan Contest. Bosnian director Danis Tanovic, who won Oscar for No Man’s Land will hand the award to the final winner.

Mr. Tanovic will present to the audience his new movie entitled Cirkus Columbia. There will be awards for documentaries and Bulgarian short movies. World famous actress Claudia Cardinale and directors Claude Lelouch and Otar Iosseliani will also attend the film festival.

The audience will have the chance to see movies, created with their participation.

These stars, together with renown Bulgarian actor Rousy Chanev were selected to receive the award of Sofia for their contribution for the development of the Seventh Art.

British, French, Italian and German movies, recognized at the five leading festivals worldwide: the ones in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto and Sundance, will be screened at Sofia Film Fest.

The 3D documentary of Wim Wenders, entitled Pina will be shown for a first time after its premiere at the Berlinale. The film is dedicated to the late choreographer Pina Bausch and is considered to be a masterpiece.

The three movies that reached the final of the contest for the LUX award of the EP will be screened for a first time in Sofia. These are Plato’s Academy, When We Leave and Illegal and their directors were invited to a discussion with the audience. The Bulgarian movie industry will present films, finished after March 2010.

Some of those will have their premiere at the festival. Its official end will be on March 13. Some additional programs with its movies will take place in Sofia, Burgas, Plovdiv and Varna till March 20.