IN THE PALACE was originally conceived as a student film festival. Its inaugural edition was held in 2003 in the city of Velingrad. The following year, the festival moved to Balchik and was given its current name, IN THE PALACE, to honor its main venue. The festival was held at the Quiet Nest Palace, commonly referred to as the Balchik Palace. The palace is one of the city’s main sites, it was build for the needs of Queen Marie of Romania, the wife of King Ferdinand I. In 2015, the event was moved to Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia.
The main goal of the IN THE PALACE film festival is to contribute to the development of the art of cinema in Bulgaria, Europe and across the globe by creating an inspiring environment and a platform for both young filmmakers and seasoned industry professionals. Itsz program presents film from all genres and styles. There’s only one condition: a film must be no longer than 27 minutes. Over the years, IN THE PALACE has become one of the largest and most prestigious short film festivals in Europe.
IN THE PALACE is a competitive film festival, its program includes a National Competition and an International Competition. The participating films are selected by the special committee, and the winners are chosen by the festival’s International Jury. The competition is divided into four main sections: Fiction Films, Documentary Films, Animated Films, and Experimental Films. The best film in each category receives an award, there also are Special Mention Awards.
Along with competitive and non-competitive film screenings, the program of the festival includes training programs, lectures, seminars, workshops and masterclasses dedicated to directing, cinematography, development of film projects, digital art, post-production, PR and marketing, etc. IN THE PALACE also hosts a film market for short films and projects.
Photo: inthepalace.com
