We are a team of young professionals, passionate enthusiasts, and artists with experience in various projects in the field of short cinema. Our life paths have come together to establish the first film festival in Sofia, Bulgaria that is truly dedicated to short movies because we believe this is where the most authentic and relevant stories of our time are currently been told.

Sofia Short Fest is an international film festival showcasing independent, unconventional, and brave short movies from around the world. We dare present short stories that are experimental, provocative and reflective of today’s reality, confronting the urgent problems of our society on both local and global levels. SSF praises artistic beauty, quality, integrity, and films that rank freedom, art, and aesthetics on top of box office.

Our belief is that cinema is where art thrives in its most vital and crucial form, which can influence society and change people’s way of thinking for the better. It can raise awareness for the pressing issues of our time and address the most important themes related to our future as humankind and our only home – planet Earth. Good stories can help us better understand ourselves and our place in the world.

The festival is named after its host city, recognized by UNESCO as a Creative City of Cinema. Sofia not only offers world-class cultural locations but also has a diverse, young and cosmopolitan audience that loves unconventional cinema and is ready for the emergence of a new festival with such aspirations.

Our aim is not only to select the best short stories of our time, but also to bring together the rising stars, young talents, and professionals in a way that allows for meaningful exchange and worthwhile connections. In order to give the necessary space to the youngest artists to reach their audiences, the festival will divide the student from the professional cinema and give both groups of films the opportunity to compete on equal terms in each of the live-action, documentary and animation categories.

The festival aspires to become a regional center of independent short cinema, focusing on films from East Europe and the Balkans. With this first edition in 2025, we are laying the foundations of the annual international short film festival Sofia Short Fest, working in the name of the public and the artists.