JURY INTERVIEW WITH BOYANA BUCHVAROVA

As part of the 22nd edition of the Oscar-qualifying IN THE PALACE International Film Festival, I had the opportunity to speak with production designer Boyana Buchvarova, who was, at the time, serving as a jury member for the Short Fiction Competition alongside Mick Hanigan. What began as a quest to find someone who shared my view on what makes a film “good” turned into a friendly and enriching conversation.

As the beer level was slowly decreasing and my first question was placed on the table, Boyana began with a familiar but essential statement: a good film is one that’s different from the others. But what exactly makes a piece stand out? She pointed to one crucial element, beauty. Not the kind of beauty that comes from the most expensive camera on the market or from hours of post-production polishing, but rather the kind that emerges from thoughtful composition and a deep understanding of an object’s photogeny. This is the kind of visual poetry that guides your emotions and allows you to experience the film beyond the actors’ interactions. It’s the kind of beauty that stays with you, engraved in your memory long after the film ends.

But what’s the price to pay for a “good” film? Like any craft, meaningful results don’t come from wishful thinking or hundred-dollar bills, they come through dedication and practice, until a specific technique is truly mastered. Regardless of genre, there must be experimentation, trial and error, and risk-taking in order to create something fresh. Boyana also emphasized that what worked once for one filmmaker won’t necessarily work for others, a view echoed by many jurors. Take, for example, a significant portion of mainstream Bulgarian features released in recent years. While technically competent, many of these films rely on the same techniques, the same actors, and similar emotional registers. The result is repetition: films that may entertain, but ultimately do little to push the boundaries of Bulgarian cinema. This led to one of Boyana’s most pointed observations: create,  don’t copy, and don’t fall into the vague trap of trends, clichés, or “current topics.” When overused or handled without intention, these elements can have the opposite effect of what was hoped.

Given her emphasis on originality and experimentation, I was curious to know how Boyana navigates her responsibilities as a jury member. She described the role as both rewarding and challenging, especially when it comes to choosing a single winner from around 70 promising short films. Each film, she explained, takes on different weight depending on the time of day it’s screened or the block it’s included in. A juror, she believes, must set aside personal expectations and allow the film to guide them, to feel it on its own terms, without prejudice. In that sense, judging becomes not only about evaluating but also about listening. And although the role comes with great responsibility, Boyana embraces it with both seriousness and grace, a reflection of her deep respect for the craft of cinema.

Interviewer: Kaloyan Vasilev

Editor: Martin Kudlac