Anri Koulev receives Animated Heritage Award of the Institute of Art Studies, BAS
Anri Koulev was presented with the annual Animated Heritage Award of the Institute of Art Studies, BAS, for his feature film Once upon a War, at an award ceremony held on 9 October at the Picture House, Sofia, during the closing night of his exhibition of storyboard sketches for the picture.
The award is given by the Academic Board of the Institute of Art Studies, BAS in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the creative interpretation of the traditions and values of Bulgarian and world cultural heritage in a contemporary artwork.
In an unprecedented march, the forty thousand strong Bulgarian Army covers 300 km in less than two days and two nights with no roads, railway or other means of transport to win the Battle of Slivnitsa in the Serbo-Bulgarian War (1885). The crossing paths of several characters are followed in this seemingly chaotic whirl of events. The film, however, is not a reenactment, but an ingenious interpretation of a number of very popular and significant to Bulgarian literary fiction characters depicted by such Bulgarian writers as Aleko Konstantinov, Elin Pelin and Ivan Vazov. Anri Koulev’s directorial artistry, when building new cultural codes on the tradition, is in his special, almost fantastic manner. Once upon a War may safely be said to be both global and local, because it defines in its own fashion the place of Bulgarians and Bulgaria’s history.
'>in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the creative interpretation of the traditions and values of Bulgarian and world cultural heritage in a contemporary artwork.
Anri Koulev is an important figure in Bulgarian culture with a highly distinctive style. Prof. Anri Koulev is the author/director/producer of over 70 feature, animation and documentary films, winning major national and international awards starting from his neo-avant-garde 1970s animations to the mature reflection on the meaning of life, the nation and history in his latest documentaries and feature films.
The Institute of Art Studies, BAS, launched the annual Animated Heritage Award in 2016, and Anri Koulev is its fourth laureate.
The figurine is a replica, made by sculptor Simeon Simeonov, of small statuary of idol worshiping of the 5th mill. BC, unearthed during excavation works at the village of Hotnitsa. Courtesy of Veliko Turnovo Regional History Museum.
