Marking the anniversary of Vasil Gendov, Bulgaria’s film pioneer

The Institute of Art Studies, BAS, and Bulgaria’s Archives State Agency (ASA) have the pleasure of inviting all those interested in the history of Bulgarian film and culture to visit Vasil Gendov: A Life between Theatre and Cinema exhibition occasioned by the one hundred and thirtieth anniversary since the birth of the pioneer of Bulgarian film, scheduled to open on 7 December 202, Tuesday, 5:00 pm, Archives Exhibition Hall of the Archives State Agency (ASA). 5 Moskovska St.
The exhibition is mounted by a team from the Screen Arts Department, Institute of Art Studies, BAS, led by Assoc. Prof. Alexander Donev, members: Asst. Profs. Theodora Doncheva and Deyan Statulov; scientific consultant to the project: DFA Peter Kurdjilov, in collaboration with Publicity of the Archives Directorate; ASA; artist-curator: Daniel Nachev.
The exhibition showcases thirty panels (70 х 100cm) featuring various moments of Vasil Gendov’s life and work; going on display will be tens of valuable exhibits and records that have never left the storerooms of museums and archives; a number of unknown facts about the founding father of Bulgarian cinema along with previously undisplayed photographs, records from his personal archive, now kept at the National History Museum, Sofia, as well as records from the collections of ASA; unknown until now plays and dramatisations by Vasil Gendov, composed for his troupe of actors; the earliest extant Bulgarian film poster for Vasil Gendov’s silent movie Bai Ganio (1922), kept at ASA, discovered while mounting the event.
The exhibition is a tribute to one of the founding fathers of Bulgarian film seeking to familiarise the visitors with the real dimensions to his figure and his significant contribution to the Bulgarian culture of the first half of the twentieth century.
The project was funded by Sofia Municipality, Culture Programme of Sofia Municipality, UNESCO Creative City of Film; courtesy of Bulgarian National Film Archive; National History Museum, Sofia; Ivan Vazov National Theatre; Film Scan Pro in collaboration with the Union of Bulgarian Actors; National Polytechnic Museum and Picture House, Vlaikova, Euro Cinema, G8 Cinema cinema theatres.
The exhibition runs until 13 January 2022.