One of the co-owners of Sofia-based production company Invictus, Kalin Kalinov is the Bulgarian representative at European Film Promotion’s Producers on the Move initiative, taking place at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. He has co-produced titles such as Joost van Ginkel’s The Paradise Suite [+lee también:
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Cineuropa: It seems you started back in the day by co-producing Reha Erdem’s My Only Sunshine (2008), even before founding Invictus, which was quite a success. How did this subsequently influence your career in film?
Kalin Kalinov: It was a real pleasure to work on the project and was also a great learning opportunity for me as a young producer. However, success is something subjective and ephemeral. I am proud that over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work with talented auteurs and produce films that I’m deeply passionate about. This is my personal idea of success, and My Only Sunshine was an exceptional first step in this direction.

Is it difficult to find both an auteur’s touch and commercial potential in a project? What other criteria do you look for when choosing a film to work on?
It is a delicate balance. Producing films with profound themes that also have the potential to appeal to a wider audience is not easy and is quite risky. However, I believe there is a niche in the market for such titles at the moment, as arthouse and commercial cinema are further apart than ever. And I am trying, together with my team, to bridge this gap in a meaningful way. For me and my colleagues, the key criterion when choosing a project is to completely fall in love with it. This is the only way we can be sure that it is worth all the sacrifices and hard work to get it produced.

You also co-produced the animated feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy. What are the specific challenges when producing animation?
Animation is a very different experience when compared to fiction films. The technical and creative processes differ greatly. But they do have some similarities, and as with all films, everything starts with a good story, which needs to be told. John Vardar vs the Galaxy is one of our long-term projects, and I am extremely happy to see it nearing completion. It is very gratifying to finally witness the results of your hard work.

What are you working on at the moment?
We are currently developing a wider slate than usual. We have been lucky to have a larger number of potential projects to choose from in recent years. Currently, we are in advanced post-production with Atanas Hristoskov’s third feature, Axis of Life, a dystopian drama about three disciples and their master on a spiritual journey through a mystical mountain. The outstanding Danish actor Lars Simonsen is in the leading role, accompanied by Clive Russell from Game of Thrones, the popular Marina Suma from Italy (Before We Say Goodbye [+lee también:
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Apart from that, we are currently in development with Yana Lekarska’s second feature, Moussaka, and with the provocative, environmentally themed thriller When a Tree Falls in the Forest by debuting director Kamen Kolarov. Last but not least, we are looking for partners for our next feature-length animation, Khalo the Zmey, in collaboration with Sofia-based studio Chase a Cloud.

What are your expectations when it comes to the upcoming edition of Producers on the Move?
We have already completed the online modules of the programme. It has been a very intense, but also productive, experience so far. Producers on the Move is a great platform to showcase current projects and also facilitate encounters between like-minded collaborators and partners. I am very much looking forward to the upcoming sessions in Cannes. I am thankful to the wonderful team at the Bulgarian National Film Center, which supported my nomination and made it possible for me to take part. The preliminary schedule looks very promising, and I am both thrilled and humbled to be selected for the 25th edition.