The largest film festival for mountaineering, extreme, and adventure cinema celebrates its twentieth anniversary. Bansko Film Fest is the largest and only film festival in Bulgaria and in the Balkans for mountaineering, climbing, cycling, travel, adventure, paragliding, extreme skiing and snowboarding, speleology, and culture of mountaineering peoples. Over 3,000 films have been broadcast in its 20 years, many of which are world premieres and award winners from the world’s most prestigious film festivals. Dozens of exhibitions of photographs by Bulgarian and world authors accompany the film festival. Hundreds of children from Bansko and the region have participated in the children’s and youth adventure program BanskofilmfestKIDS, and the stars of Bansko film fest are the most successful world directors, climbers, climbers, award winners of European and world festivals.
In the 20th anniversary edition, you will find 5 days with 70 films from 40 countries – the best titles on mountaineering, climbing, cycling, travel, adventure, paragliding, extreme skiing and snowboarding, speleology, the culture of mountaineering peoples. All this – with the presence of a competent film jury, screenings under the stars and in several halls, guests from Bulgaria and abroad, meetings, presentations, exhibitions, celebrations, and anniversaries of unforgettable achievements of Bulgarian and world mountain culture, as well as many outdoor activities. The Festival of the Free Spirit, which will meet the audience with the best and most up-to-date adventurers and extreme personalities from the world, gathers every year the world and Bulgarian elite of outdoor activities. The program of the festival includes motivational presentations and workshops from foreign and Bulgarian guests.
The largest festival of mountaineering, extreme, and adventure cinema is approaching! Be part of the adventure between 22 and 26 September!
STARS OF BANSKO FILM FEST
- Simone Messner (Italy) – Simon Messner is a mountaineering director and passionate mountaineer and climber. At the age of 16, he found his way along the classic routes in the Dolomites. Today, he manages to climb numerous rock and ice tours, runs new routes in Oman, Jordan, Pakistan, the Alps, and in his native Dolomites. He also runs his father Reinhold Messner’s film house.
- Maurizio Zanola – Manolo (Italy) – Legend among Italian climbers. Manolo was one of the first Italian climbers to practice free climbing, a legendary person, still actively climbing and paving new routes.
- Nedine Wallner (Austria) – world-famous extreme, official athlete of RedBull, multiple times champion of the Freeride World Cup, climber. He will also present his latest film, “Decisions” to the audience.
- Elisabeth Revolt (France) – Elisabeth Revol is a French mountaineer, the first woman to climb the eight-thousand-year-old Nanga Parbat in winter.
- Krzysztob Kaczmarek (Poland) – adventurer, slackline and highline extreme athlete.
Guests will also be the adventurers of Bulgaria:
- Nikolay Petkov – mountaineer and climber. Nikolay Petkov is the only climber in the world who has walked the three edges of Everest. Still an active climber, Petkov has over 60 expeditions to iconic peaks and walls around the world. Author of a number of premiere climbs. Two years ago, at the 18th edition of Bansko Film Fest, our famous mountaineer presented the history of his climbs on the world’s great walls. Now he’s going to talk about his expeditions to the high peaks.
- Ivaylo Ninov – The German – Big Wall climber and bas-jump. The presentation – Adventures Ladakh-Kashmir, Saudi Arabia. Adventures with Eric Fenz in Kashmir and with Leo Holding climbing and jumping from pristine towers in Saudi Arabia” – Ivo Ninov is a world-famous Big Wall climber and bass-jumping.
- Georgi Georgiev – Black – IFMGA Mountain Guide, a legend in Bulgarian extreme skiing, guide with skis. Georgi Georgiev’s presentation for Prof. Dr.Sc.(Econ.) Dr. Lyuben Telcharov, mountaineer and mountaineer, was one of the founders of the Bulgarian Alpine Club and the Mountain Rescue Service.
- Helia Dundarova – speleologist, Dr. of Biological Sciences, a participant in numerous Bulgarian and international expeditions. She will give a presentation on“Cave Expedition Swimsuit Dryol”.
- Toncho Tonchev – mountaineer. Toncho Tonchev’s presentation is on the theme “Dhaulagiri 8 167m. – history of ascents’. It was Tonchev who was one of the most successful Bulgarian climbers, the first Bulgarian to climb the 8,000-year-old Nanga Parbat in 1993, a participant in numerous expeditions.
- Stefan and Maxim Ivanovi – sailors. The first Bulgarians crossed the Atlantic by rowing boats. Presentation and presentation of the book by Maxim and Stefan Ivanovi – “NEVEREST – by rowing boat across the Atlantic in the hurricane season”.
Jury:
- Krum Rodriguez – cameraman, Chairman of the Jury;
- Kamen Alipie in– journalist;
- Ivan Obreykov – cameraman, photographer;
Accompanying program:
BanskofilmfestBOOK presentation of books; Presentation of the book “NEVEREST” 4444 nautical miles, 105 days by rowing boat across the Atlantic in the season of hurricanes by Maxim and Stefan Ivanovi, publishing house “Nakhon”
BanskofilmfestKIDS – children’s and youth adventure program, which includes over 350 children 1- 12th grade and preschool.
Fun and demonstration competition in sports climbing in the discipline “SPEED” – “Petar Atanasov Cup”. The competition will take place in Hotel “The Wall” Banya village. Details and regulation: banskofilmfest.com
Bansko Film Festival – Photo exhibition of “Proikata” Association – Stories from the dawn of Bulgarian mountaineering: Dr. Lyuben Telcharov – Pinata; Visiting photo exhibition – The Italian Cultural Institute presents an exhibition of photographs by Gustav Vilat – “Natu.rae/DOLOMITI”; Cave exhibition of the Bulgarian Cave Society Rakitov Branch; Photo exhibition “The views that Antonio Valchev gives me” Exhibition of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute – “33 Years of Antarctic Activity”; Exhibition of selected mountain-themed paintings inspired by the native Bulgarian mountains of Yivona Mihaylova
