We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to RIFE (Rhodope International Documentary Film Festival) for the incredible experience, the thrilling encounter with the audience in Smolyan, and, of course, the awards that took us by complete surprise. It is a tremendous honor for us!

Here is the jury’s official statement regarding their decision to award our film:

“The film is epic, featuring abundant authentic footage and recorded radio transmissions. It is dynamic, reflecting a wide range of opinions, visions, and peripheral viewpoints. The editing is exceptionally professional. It is a production worthy of National Geographic and the History Channel.”

“Director Deyan Bararev deserves a special distinction for his meticulous research and skillful filmmaking. He exposes a situation hidden two or three layers deep behind a public event that has remained unanalyzed and underestimated for years. In Bararev’s cinematic investigation, viewers are introduced to original footage, eyewitness accounts, evidence, and the ‘voices of ghosts’ that have remained invisible and unheard until now.”

Upon receiving the awards, Deyan immediately emphasized that this special distinction belongs equally to the film’s screenwriters—Diliyan Pavlov, Elena Ermova, and Stanislav Grozdanov—as their contribution to the project is just as vital.