The sector employs 5% of Sofia’s workforce. It includes advertising, architecture, crafts, design, cinema, interactive recreation, video games etc. In 2014, Sofia joined the network of creative cities of UNESCO, and was named ‘City of Film’.
Creative Industries in Sofia
Creative Sofia in Figures
7 500+
creative companies in Sofia
33 000+
employees
3/4
of the sector nationwide is concentrated in Sofia
Success Stories
City of Film
In 2014, Sofia joined the network of creative cities of UNESCO, and was awarded the title ‘City of Film’. Twelve other cities are part of the network. It aims at promoting cooperation between cities prioritising creativity in their urban environment.
Sofia Film Fest
Sofia Film Fest has emerged to become the Balkans’ largest and most important film festival, announced by Variety as one of the top 50 unmissable film events in the world.
National Academy for Theater and Film Arts
Founded in 1948, the National Academy for Theater and Film Arts (NATFA) is one of the most prestigious theatre schools in Europe. Many of the world’s best actors and directors are conferred a Doctor Honoris Causa degree by NATFA.
Chaos Group
Chaos Group is a company providing innovative rendering solutions for the media, entertainment, and design industries. After rendering imagery and bringing realistic CGI for movies like “Doctor Strange,” “Captain America: Civil War,” and “Deadpool”, Chaos Group won a Technological Oscar in 2017 for the overall contribution of their technology called V-Ray to the movie industry.
Nu Boyana Film Studios
The state of the art facilities of Nu Boyana allow filmmakers to film at a Roman Village or on a Middle Eastern street in one day. Oscar winning directors and cinematographers and some of the best actors in the history of cinema have filmed in Sofia.
Game Development
~ 60
local and international companies
4+
annual events:
Game Development Summit
Eastern European Gaming Summit
Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Expo
Total Chaos
Animation & Anime Events
The International Animation Golden Kuker Film Festival takes place in Sofia since 2010. It is among the most attractive cultural events in Bulgaria, aiming to boost creativity and show the best animated movies from all around Bulgaria and the world.
The Aniventure Comic Con is Bulgaria’s biggest festival for anime, manga, traditional and modern Japanese culture, Western culture and TV, gaming and comics. It provides a platform for talents from all around Bulgaria in the fields of art, costumes and accessories design, theater, video editing and effects.
Some success stories:
