Bulgarian films after 2000 that are worth watching
Bulgarian films continue to develop with impressive and diverse productions that combine contemporary themes, social criticism and personal stories. After 2020, audiences have the opportunity to enjoy movies, that evoke emotions, inspire and raise important questions about society, identity and human relationships.
In this list, we have selected 36 titles that deserve the attention of viewers – from dramatic stories to magical tales and crime thrillers, each with a unique style and strong acting presence.
(click on a selected title for additional information)
1. Lily the fish (Lilly the Little Fish, 2017)
Director: Yasen Grigorov
Actors: Dimitar Ivanov, Kalina Asenova, Krasimira Demirova
Movie plot: A fantastical tale about a child with magical abilities who changes the world around him through miracles and love.
2. Undercover (Undercover, 2011–2016)
Directors: Dimitar Mitovski, Georgi Ivanov, Teodora Markova
Actors: Ivaylo Zahariev, Zahari Baharov, Vladimir Penev
Movie plot: A young police officer infiltrates the mafia, filled with tension, intrigue, and dynamic criminal situations.
3. Elevation (2017)
Director: Viktor Bozhinov
Actors: Zahari Baharov, Vladimir Mihaylov, Filip Avramov
Movie plot: A historical drama about revolutionaries in the 1870s that combines patriotism, danger, and a tense atmosphere.
4. Bubble gum (Bubblegum, 2017)
Director: Stanislav Todorov-Rogi
Actors: Ivan Yurukov, Teodora Duhovnikova, Yoreta Nikolova
Movie plot: Two friends meet again after 25 years, confronting nostalgia, romance and social change.
5. At the heart of the machine (In the Heart of the Machine, 2022)
Director: Martin Makariev
Actors: Alexander Sano, Julian Vergov, Igor Angelov
Movie plot: A dramatic story about humanity, hidden in the darkest and most unexpected places, facing moral dilemmas.
6. Letter to America (Letter to America, 2000)
Director: Iglika Trifonova
Actors: Philip Avramov, Ana Papazoglou, Petar Antonov
Movie plot: A journey in search of a magical song in a Bulgarian village, capable of bringing people back to life and hope.
7. Zip (Zift, 2008)
Director: Yavor Gardev
Actors: Zahari Baharov, Tanya Ilieva, Vladimir Penev
Movie plot: A neo-noir crime drama about a man released after a wrongful conviction, faced with the strange and dangerous world of 1960s Sofia.
8. As if for the last time (Last Call, 2020)
Director: Ivaylo Penchev
Actors: Vasil Banev, Maria Bakalova, Filip Avramov
Movie plot: A girl must be saved from suicide through love and faith, intertwined with comic situations and human dramas.
9. The court (The Judgment, 2014)
Director: Stefan Komandarev
Actors: Asen Blatechki, Hovhannes Torosyan, Ina Nikolova
Movie plot: A father and son living near the Turkish border face moral and existential challenges when they become involved in a dangerous refugee scheme. It's a film about survival, guilt, and redemption.
10. Number 1 (No. 1, 2011)
Director: Atanas Hristoskov
Actors: Filip Avramov, Ivaylo Zahariev, Nikolay Stanoev
Movie plot: A conflict between an elite and a public school, with teachers trying to bring meaning and harmony into the lives of the students.
11. The omnipresent (Omnipresent, 2017)
Director: Iliyan Dzhevelekov
Actors: Velislav Pavlov, Teodora Duhovnikova, Vessela Babinova
Movie plot: A story about a man obsessed with spying on his loved ones, who realizes the limits of human curiosity and morality.
12. Escape (2022)
Director: Viktor Bozhinov
Actors: Tsvetan Apostolov, Blagovest Blagoev, Diana Dimitrova
Movie plot: An escape from a rehabilitation center and its consequences, contrasting with a commune in the mountains.
13. Face down (Face Down, 2015)
Director: Kamen Kalev
Actors: Melville Pupo, Seher Nebieva, Lydia Koleva
Movie plot: A police officer embedded in the Bulgarian mafia faces dangers and unexpected love.
14. The road to the Costa del Maresme (Bulgarian Rhapsody, 2014)
Director: Ivan Nichev
Actors: Kristian Makarov, Moni Mosonov, Tatyana Lolova
Movie plot: The summer of 1943 brings together two friendships, intertwined with love and historical events for the Jewish community in Bulgaria.
15. Sneakers (Sneakers, 2011)
Director: Ivan Vladimirov, Valeri Yordanov
Actors: Ivo Arakov, Philip Avramov, Ivan Barnev
Movie plot: Six young people flee the boring city to the pristine beach, seeking freedom, friendship and hope.
16. A gun, a suitcase and three stinking barrels (2012)
Director: Georgi D. Kostov
Actors: Filipa Baldeva, Asen Blatechki, Yordan Danchev
Movie plot: A gangster comedy with absurd situations, dangerous criminals and romantic intertwining lines.
17. Vacationers (Holiday Makers, 2016)
Director: Ivaylo Penchev
Actors: Filip Avramov, Milena Avramova, Vasil Banov
Movie plot: Tourist life presented as chaos and comedy, reflecting human weaknesses and funny situations.
18. Made in EU (2025)
Director: Stefan Komandarev
Actors: Anastasia Ingilizova, Gerasim Georgiev, Gergana Pletnyova
Movie plot: A film about contemporary Bulgaria, showing fear, obedience, but also the hope of young people.
19. A dose of happiness (2019)
Director: Yana Titova
Actors: Valentina Karoleva, Dimitar Nikolov, Alexander Alexiev
Movie plot: A story about a journalist searching for her own happiness in the dynamic and uncertain 1990s, intertwined with love, fear, and overcoming setbacks.
20. Smart Christmas (Smart Christmas, 2018)
Director: Maria Vesselinova
Actors: Vasil Dimitrov, Venko Dimitrov, Kristiyan Iliev
Movie plot: A young man falls into Santa's workshop and, through high technology, changes the classic processes, creating a modern fairy tale.
21. Letters from Antarctica (Letters from Antarctica, 2019)
Director: Stanislav Donchev
Actors: Irmena Chichikova, Diana Dimitrova, Ivan Stamenov
Movie plot: A mother lies to her son about his father being "in Antarctica," until reality hits them both in an emotional and dramatic clash.
22. Revolution X: The Movie (Revolution X: The Movie, 2018)
Director: Dimitar Gochev
Actors: Silvia Petkova, Alexander Sano, Daniel Angelov
Movie plot: A music band goes on tour, and their new vocalist creates chaos and comic situations, mixing music and personal dramas.
23. The short stick (The Short Straw, 2022)
Director: Dimitar Petkov
Actors: Vyara Kolarova, Boryana Manoilova, Elizabeth Marangozova
Movie plot: Four police officers embark on a tangled story that began with a local dispute and ended with murder, combining comedy and suspense.
24. Without wings (Wingless, 2024)
Director: Niki Iliev
Actors: Bashar Rahal, Paraskeva Dzhukelova, Nathan Cooper
Movie plot: An inspiring biographical story about a Paralympic champion who overcomes tragedy and achieves success in athletics.
25. 11A (The 11th Grade, 2015)
Director: Georgi D. Kostov
Actors: Yana Marinova, Bashar Rahal, Nikolay Sotirov
Movie plot: Lina dreams of becoming a literature teacher and overcomes personal and professional challenges to achieve her goals.
26. Tilt (Tilt, 2010)
Director: Viktor Chuchkov
Actors: Yavor Baharov, Radina Kardzhilova, Hovhannes Torosyan
Movie plot: A romantic story set against the backdrop of social and political changes in Bulgaria in the 1980s and 1990s, with a strong emotional impact.
27. Botev (Botev, 2022)
Director: Maxim Genchev
Actors: Deyan Zhekov, Neda Spasova, Niki Iliev
Movie plot: A biographical film about the life and work of Hristo Botev, tracing his struggles and ideals.
28. Trust game (Trust Game, 2023)
Director: Martin Makariev
Actors: Alexander Dimov, Luiza Grigorova
Movie plot: Strong emphasis on women's personal freedom, combined with psychological tension and moral dilemmas.
29. Danny. A legend. God (Danny. Legend. God., 2020)
Director: Yavor Petkov
Actors: Dimo Alexiev, Kate Nichols, James Ryan Babson
Movie plot: A city councilor drags a documentary crew into a dangerous world of corruption and personal intrigue.
30. Return (Reunion, 2019)
Director: Niki Iliev
Actors: Niki Iliev, Bashar Rahal, Stefan Danailov
Movie plot: Three friends meet after years and try to save their childhood house, facing the past.
31. Uncle Christmas (Uncle Christmas, 2021)
Director: Ivaylo Penchev
Actors: Alen Angelov, Filip Avramov, Milena Avramova
Movie plot: A modern tale of Christmas miracles, family values, and the power of faith, interspersed with comic situations.
32. Attraction (Attraction, 2018)
Director: Martin Makariev
Actors: Yana Marinova, Alexander Sano, Luiza Grigorova
Movie plot: A young teacher must choose between her love for school and her old passion for dancing, a moving story of determination and personal choice.
33. Directions (Directions, 2017)
Director: Stefan Komandarev
Actors: Haralan Alexandrov, Dimitar Banenkin, Vasil Banov
Movie plot: A story about several taxi drivers and their stories during a working night full of human emotions.
34. The singing shoes (2016)
Director: Radoslav Spasov
Actors: Raya Peeva, Julian Petrov, Ernestina Shinova
Movie plot: A drama about the survival of talent in the spiritual and social vicissitudes of two eras.
35. Wild and happy (Wildlings, 2019)
Director: Martin Makariev
Actors: Luiza Grigorova, Yana Marinova, Basil Aidenbenz
Movie plot: Two women flee with a kidnapped man, facing the police and dangerous twists, a tense crime drama.
36. Nobody (No One, 2017)
Director: Andrey Andonov
Actors: Gergana Pletnyova, Stoyan Radev, Silvia Petkova
Movie plot: A provocative drama about a young woman experiencing the most significant change in her life, with strong psychological depth.
37. Plague (Plague, 2023)
Director: Ivan Vladimirov
Actors: Svezhen Mladenov, Lyudmila Slaneva, Evelina Bibova
Movie plot: The film recreates a dark age of trials, in which human greed and fear clash with the power of survival and hope.
