With the movie created by Center “Alef” the European Parliament will mark 81 years since the salvation of the Bulgarian Jews
At the beginning of April, Center for Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation “Alef” will present the short feature film “Heni. Friendship – meaning and salvation” in the European Parliament in Brussels. The film is dedicated to brave and worthy Bulgarians who did not allow the destruction of their fellow citizens – Jews during World War II and the Holocaust. Its presentation in the European Parliament will mark 81 years since the unique act of saving the Bulgarian Jews from the Holocaust. Against the backdrop of escalating anti-Semitic sentiments in Europe, the Bulgarian film will remind the world of the example of tolerance and philanthropy that our country sets.
The film and its creators will be visiting the European Parliament at the invitation of Bulgarian MEP Alexander Yordanov. The screening will take place on April 3, 2024. All European MPs and members of the European Commission who work on the topic of anti-Semitism and the protection of human rights are invited to attend. Immediately afterwards, they will be able to meet and talk with the authors of the film.
The film is created for the young audience. The program envisages “Henny. “Friendship – meaning and salvation” to also be presented at the European School in Brussels, where students from different EU nationalities will be presented with the story of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews.
The film is produced by Center “Alef”. Its plot was inspired by the topics of the International Student Literary Contest “Whoever saves one human life saves the whole universe” organized by “Alef” for 11 year,s and by award-winning short stories selected from the works of over 2,000 participants from 12 different countries.
A film as clear as a tear – this is how the production of “Alef” was defined immediately after the premiere in December 2023 in Burgas. It was filmed in Burgas and follows the beginning of a friendship between two young men and a girl from Israel – a descendant of Bulgarian Jews who came here to see the city from her grandmother’s youth. The horror of the Holocaust years fills the plot, but the film rises above the historical moment and touches on issues that concern today’s young people – an affecting story about friendship, love and jealousy, but also about the moral choices that every young person faces today.
The authors of the film are the famous director Ivan Nichev, the director Lyubomir Popov, the screenwriter Tatyana Nicheva, the cameraman Dimitar Krumov, the composer Stefan Dimitrov. The main roles are played by the young actors Katrin Dimitrova, Dilyan Nikolov, Iliyan Kanev and Pamela Kostadinova.
The filming took place in Burgas with the financial support of: Burgas Municipality, National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues to the Council of Ministers, Masterhaus-Boshnakov Ltd., Port Flot Burgas, GoldHurst Real Estate, “BMF Port Burgas” Ltd., Daniela Bozhinova, Dimitar Naydenov, Boris Aladzhov, Tsoncho Ganev.
Sponsors: “Fraport Twin Star Airport Management Ltd”, “Bulgaria Air” Airlines, OZK Insurance Ltd., Hotel Marina Burgas, “Zia” Bakeries, Green Rent A Car, Devin JSC.
