Bulgarian Film Hits Revive Cherished Animation Traditions

The news that 'Blind Vaysha', created by the Bulgarian-born Canadian director Theo Ushev, was nominated for this year's Oscar for the best short animated film, has caused excitement on the Bulgarian cultural scene.

Ushev's film, which is based on a story by award-winning Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov, will compete with four other short animations, including Google's 'Pearl' and Pixar's 'Piper', at the 89th Academy Awards.

"We overcame Disney - something that is unheard of, like Ludogorets [Bulgaria's top football team] beating Barcelona at the Nou Camp," Ushev told Bulgarian National Television following the announcement of his nomination.

Although Ushev refers to himself as a Canadian director and his film is supported by the National Film Board of Canada, his success is considered a subject of national pride in Bulgaria.

'Blind Vaysha' has revived memories of the 'golden age' of Bulgarian animation, the period between the 1960s and the 1990s when Bulgarian animated films were often shown at the world's top film festivals and won prestigious awards such as the Palme d'Or in 1996.

But in the 1990s, the industry witnessed a sharp decline with significantly fewer films being produced or gaining international recognition.

Over the past few years, however, increasing numbers of young artists and directors have attracted serious attention at home and internationally, showing clear signs that Bulgaria's animation tradition has woken up from its long sleep.

Balkan Insight has selected some of the best works:

Blind Vaysha

The animated short tells the extraordinary story of Vaysha - a girl who sees the past with her left eye and the future with her right, which...