One of the most respected directors/producers in his native Bulgaria, Konstantin Bojanov made his directorial debut with the short film Lemon is Lemon in 2001, followed by the award-winning documentary Invisible in 2005. His first feature, Avé, premiered in 2011 at Cannes' Critics Week and went on to win over 20 international awards. Konstantin was a co-producer of Eva Prevolovici's first feature Marussia and currently he is in development with his new film, Blinded by the Sun.

Cineuropa: Does Konstantin Bojanov the producer ever fight with Konstantin Bojanov the director? Being a director AND a producer is obviously more complicated than being a director OR a producer...
Konstantin Bojanov: I have always either been the sole producer or one of the producers of my films. In each case, I tried to find a balance between my decisions as a director and as a producer. Yet, I must admit, my decisions as a director were often dominant, since the artistic integrity of the films was my primary goal. Now that I have begun producing films by other directors, I hope not to start applying double standards.

What does Konstantin Bojanov the producer think about the relationship between Bulgarian directors and the National Film Center? What could (or should?!) the Bulgarian government do in order to improve the local film industry?
I believe that the Bulgarian National Film Center does whatever they can to support the Bulgarian directors. Unfortunately, their resources are pretty limited. There are two things that the Bulgarian government could do in order the stimulate the production of local films. One would be tax reform that could create incentives for Bulgarian and foreign investors to invest in local productions. The other would be to allocate a higher, and adequate, percentage of GDP towards local productions. I firmly believe that there is a new, young generation of Bulgarian filmmakers who are yet to make their imprint on the international film scene. Their work and ideas need to be nurtured.

As a producer, do you feel the commercial pressure of Hollywood? Have you ever been tempted to produce entertainment films instead of more relevant, arthouse ones?
The answer is no. I couldn’t care less about Hollywood. Relevant art-house could, and should, be entertaining too.

Tell us more about your next projects as producer.
I have several projects currently in development. Blinded by the Sun, my second feature film, is the story of a disillusioned Turkish immigrant in London, who has decided to reverse his family history and return back to Turkey, no matter what the cost. The project is at a script level. I am hoping to shoot the film next spring. Another project is Ivan Quits Life, to be directed by Pavel Vesnakov, one of the most talented young Bulgarian directors. It is the story of three generations of men in a Bulgarian family, and the unusual connection the grandson develops with his grandfather. I also work on Other Lives, a documentary based on William Dalrymple’s bestseller Nine Lives. The film examines the lives of several religious devotees in contemporary India.

What do you expect from the Producers on the Move event?
To find co-producers and financing for my current projects.

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