The 13th Sofia International Film Festival concluded March 14 with the Grand Prix in the international competition going to For My Father, directed by Dror Zahavi.

An Israeli-German co-production, For My Father portrays an accidental meeting of three people in Tel Aviv. The international jury, led by Hungarian director Janos Szasz, called the film 'brave' and praised it for 'dealing with impossible love with humor and humanism.'

Ozcan Alper was named Best Director for his debut feature, Autumn. Bulgarian director Javor Gurdev's Oscar submission Zift received the Special Jury Award as well as the Kodak Award for Best Bulgarian Feature.

Three Sisters And Ahdrey, from directors Boris Despodov and Andrey Paunov, was named Best Bulgarian Short Film. Bulgarian critics award the Best Balkan Film Award to My Marlon And Brando, from director Hueseyin Karabey.

The FIPRESCI jury presented its award to Radu Jude's film The Happiest Girl In The World. Helena Trestikova's EFA Prix Arte-winning film Rene was named Best Documentary.

The festival's Audience Award went to Achilles And The Tortoise, from Japanese director Takeshi Kitano.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Culture used the occasion of the festival to announce $10.6m (BGN 16m) in support for local film production, to be distributed by the National Film Center.

Michael Palin and Bulgarian director Nikola Korabov each received Sofia Municipality Award for lifetime achievement in cinema.

In total the festival screened 262 films, 100 of them features. The festival attracted 228 international guests, among them producers, actors, festival directors, media and cinema experts.

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