Mariana Evstatieva

Video interview with Mariana Evstatieva

Mariana Evstatieva was born on 29 August 1939 in Gabrovo. She graduated cinema and TV directing at the Higher Institute of Theatre, Television and Film in Lodz, Poland in 1965. Before making her debut in feature films with Tiger cub (1973), she made 18 documentaries with a marked interest in matters affecting the young – School leavers (1965), For you, children (1965), Kids and dolls (1967), We love cinema (1968) as well as art history films like Ivan Funev (1964), Peyo Yavorov (1966), Dr. Petar Beron (1967) About one land in four colors (1970), for which she has received national and international awards. From 1971 until 1992 she worked at Boyana Film Studio.

Over the next period she made films mostly starring children but dealing with problems addressed to a broader audience - Moments in a matchbox (1979) - (Silver Children and Teenager Film Award at the Moscow International Film Festival, 1979, Laceno d'oro from Avellino, Italy, 1981), Abduction in yellow (1981) - (Audience award at the Children's Film Festival in Gijon, Spain, 1980, Silver Laceno from Avellino, Italy, 1981), Devil's Weapon (1982) - (Laceno d'oro from Avellino, Italy), On the Top of the Cherry Tree (1984) – (Audience award at the Children's Film Festival in Gijon, Spain), A Husband for Mom – (Silver Children and Teenager Film Award at the Moscow International Film Festival, 1984, one of the two grand prix at the International Film Festival in Alencon, France, 1987),Amigo Ernesto (1986), the TV novels Don’t get in my way (1987) andHello, granny! (1991), the TV series Men without whiskers (1989), Letters to a dachshund (2001) and Lyudmil and Ruslana (2008) – a film in which she gave the small role of a cardiologist to her partner in life and in her professional career writer Boyan Biolchev, who wrote the screenplays to three of her films. Her latest film for the big screen is The Prince and the Pauper (2005) - first award at the Festival in St. Petersburg.

Mariana Evstatieva’s work is dedicated entirely to children, parent-children relationships and the environment they grow up in.

Since 1996 she has lectured at New Bulgarian University; professor of cinema and TV directing, director of a Master’s cinema and TV programme.

FILMOGRAPHY

Feature films:

Selected Filmography

Tiger cub (1973)

The blue lamp (1974) TV series

Farewell, my love (1976)

Moments in a matchbox (1979)

Abduction in yellow (1981)

Devil's Weapon (1982)

- Silver "Laceno" Award at the XXIII of International Film Festival in Avellino – Italy, 1983.

On the Top of the Cherry Tree (1984)

- Award for children's film at

The Festival of the Bulgarian Feature Film Golden Rose – Varna, 1984.

A Husband for Mom (1985)

- Award of the District Council for Spiritual Development

The Festival of the Bulgarian Feature Film Golden Rose – Varna, 1987

Amigo Ernesto (1986)

Don’t get in my way (1987)

- Golden Chest Award and Award of Intervision

The International TV Festival Golden Chest – Plovdiv, 1987.

Men without whiskers (1989)

The outlandish nephew (1990)

Hello, granny! (1991)

The prince and the pauper (2005)

- Award of the Bulgarian National Television

The International TV Festival Golden Chest – Plovdiv, 2005

- Award of the International Children's Film Festival "Leaf Fall" , Minsk – Belarus, 2005

- First Prize at the Festival of Children's Films "Hope" - St. Petersburg, 2006

Lyudmil and Ruslana (2007) TV film, 6 episodes

Documentaries:

Selected Filmography

Children and dolls (1969)

- Diploma at the International Film festival in Gijon, Spain - 1969.

We Love the Cinema (1968)

- Award at the VII Festival of the Bulgarian Film Golden Rose, Varna, 1968.