TO THE ORGANIZERS, PARTNERS AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF RED CROSS AND HEALTH FILMS

DEAR PROF. DR. GIGOV, DEAR ACAD. GRIGOROV, DEAR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

The International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films starts again. It was possible, thanks to all of you - ambassadors of the power of spirit, peace and friendship! Please accept my warmest regards and gratitude for your unabated ambition and energy, for your commitment to the cause of our faith in kindness, in doing good and supporting all good. You are an example of successful teamwork. For me, the holding of this festival under my patronage is an exceptional honour and a great responsibility.

Quite understandably, this year the festival is focused on the pandemic and its consequences, which we will struggle to overcome in the future. Beyond the severe health and economic problems, the most difficult test we are facing today is the challenge of keeping the trust between us - in the society, as well as between states.

The virus keeps us 2 meters away from each other, but I believe that it is not gaps that open between our souls, but on the contrary – it made us increasingly aware of the necessity to be together, to offer each other a helping hand and support, in order to overcome the crises more easily. The fear of the disease failed to destroy our inherent feelings of empathy and responsibility to the other, but on the contrary, it strengthened them!

For another year, the rich programme of the Festival, which has attracted participants from all over the world, will teach us the most important lessons of life - the lessons of humanity! The 19th edition of the International Festival of Red Cross and health films will write another successful page in its significant biography.

I wish you health!

I trust that we will soon be able to regain our freedom of communication!

Good luck!

ILIANA IOTOVA
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

Dear organizers and participants in the XIX International festival of Red Cross and health films

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

On the occasion of the XIX International festival of Red Cross and health films, please accept my cordial greetings and wishes for good health and creative inspiration!

The Festival has been proven as an interesting event in the cultural calendar of Varna; it attracts every year more and more participants from all over world, by provoking the young people’s interest to volunteering and to helping people as a mode of life! I am sure, that the motto of the Festival for this year – “Pandemics – Society – Cinema” will once more attract many connoisseurs to the films in the Festival program.

My congratulations for the efforts and the enthusiasm of the organizers, as due to them, the International festival of Red Cross and health films attributes a new nuance to the cultural and the public life in the sea-capital of Bulgaria.

With all my respect,

Ivan Portnih
Mayor of Varna

ART AND HUMANITY TOGETHER FOR A BETTER WORLD

MISSION POSSIBLE

For seven years now, the Bulgarian Red Cross and the Medical University of Varna, through a unique cultural event - the International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films, have been confidently upholding the cause of helping this world become a better one.

Our recognition and deep gratitude to the Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mrs. Iliana Iotova, a patron and a friend of the International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films. Her support is a great honour for the Red Cross workers and a pride that the Bulgarian Vice President values the humanitarian principles and values of charity, humanity, kindness, compassion, and contributes to their promotion in the society.

I address with words of gratitude the management of the Festival, namely Ilko Raev and Prof. Bozhidar Manov, as well as the festival team, whose tireless efforts and hard work have made it possible to organize and carry out this prestigious forum. I am confident that, regardless of the complicated epidemiological situation, the most optimal solution for the safety of participants, guests and viewers has been ensured again this year.

SAFE JOURNEY AND SUCCESSFUL MISSION!

WE CONTINUE TOGETHER IN THE NAME OF THE GOOD!

Acad. HRISTO GRIGOROV, Dr.H.C.
PRESIDENT OF THE BULGARIAN RED CROSS

The idea for the establishment of the International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films was born in 1965 in Varna as an ambitious project oriented toward the eternal values which remain permanent with time.

For 56 years the Festival has been an inseparable part of the cultural calendar of Bulgaria and Europe. We, from the Medical University of Varna, together with the Bulgarian Red Cross succeeded to revive the interest of the young people to the main humanistic values as part of the modern lifestyle by means of culture.

The difficulties we are facing in our everyday life give special global importance the social and public activities of the Medical University of Varna and the Bulgarian Red Cross.

This year the topic of the Festival corresponds to the developments around us and is entitled “Pandemics – humanity – cinema”. In spite of the epidemiological circumstances and aggression, the social inequity and discontent, in which we live, it is exactly beauty and the unity of art and education which are the roads for turning over the trend.

As an educational and scientific institution, the Medical University of Varna has responsibility to society at large. I am convinced that this year, too, the event will enjoy serious interest by the public because people realize more and more that we have to value the intransient human virtues such as kindness, charity and humanity and do our best to assert them. Only in this way the problems of the modern world can be solved through education, science and culture.

Prof.Dr. Valentin Ignatov, MD, PhD
Rector
Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov” - Varna

Dear friends of the International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films,

The 19-th edition of the International festival of Red Cross and health films is forthcoming! It is the oldest international film fest in Bulgaria, aged 65 years back.

For the short time since we restore in 2014, the Festival regained its authority, and the proof of this is the growing interest of filmmakers from all over the world to take part in the Program of the Festival. The Festival has also proved its role as a meeting place of adherents with common interests and mode of thinking. They all try to contribute and popularize the humanitarian values.

The preparation and the organization of the 19-th edition of the International festival of Red Cross and health films went under the impact of the world pandemic situation. Several times we had to re-model the program and the events to guarantee the utmost safety of our loyal followers. For this reason, we do not organize the traditional discussion forums, special events and side events as demonstrations, etc.

During the Festival days, the cinema connoisseurs will enjoy seeing 68 films from 18 countries. The films will be played in open air – at the entrance of the Sea garden in Varna, as well as at the new cultural area of Varna - ReBonkers.

Part of the film program of the Festival will be reachable on-line.

The International festival of Red Cross and health films is organized with the support of our traditional partners, sponsors and benefactors.

Enjoy!

Ilko Raev
Director
International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films

LET US MOVE ON TOGETHER WITH OUR AUDIENCE

“A Fiest in Time of Plague” (1832) has found long ago its place in the world’s classic literature as one of the Pushkin’s “small tragedies”.

“A Festival in time of pandemics” is, alas, the new modus vivendi for the world cinema in 2020/21 due to the global dissemination of coronavirus. The consecutive waves of Covid 19 compelled many festivals to modify their traditions and their preplanned dates in the calendar. Some were called off, some postponed, some chose the on-line editions or hybrid combinations of virtual broadcasts and live shootings in summer cinemas or adapted places.

During the last 2020 our Festival was also subjected to join this carousel with the hope it would be a single test. But once again now, in September 2021 we are again looking for the rescue option to avoid skipping the edition of the International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films in turn! We all know well, that a “hole” in the annals of the Festival could open a hardly recoverable gape in its development.

Therefore, in spite of the complicated conditions and a number of obstacles, we are enlightening the screen of our Festival again, with the hope that we are overcoming this new obstacle in turn. What we offer is a program with decrease number of films and of public shooting but we are sure we respect our spectators as the mere factor for the festivals to exist and making sense for the efforts of organizing festivals!

With this faith we appeal to all the friends of the International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films to be together and continue with us in the name of our common motto: Through humanity to peace and friendship!

Prof. Dr. Bozhidar Manov
Artistic Director
International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films

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