Presentation of the documentary film “Hidden Marks” and a meeting-conversation with the National Commissioner Dr. Nadezhda Djakova

Bulgarian participation in the Venice Biennale of Art in 2024
March 27, 2025, 6:00 PM

The documentary film “Hidden Scars” by director Georgi Toshev and cinematographer Boris Pintev tells the story of the Bulgarian participation in the Venice Biennale of Art in 2024, whose theme is “Foreigners Everywhere”, curatated by Adriano Pedrosa (Brazil).

The core is the story of the project “Neighbors” — from its start and completion to the global response. It’s an interactive multimedia installation that brings back the fading memories of survivors of political violence during the communist era in Bulgaria. The project, which was put together by Krasimira Butseva, Liliya Topuzova, Julian Chehiryan, and curator Vasil Vladimirov, is the result of 20 years of historical and artistic research.

When a country takes part in an art exhibition of such high rank, there are a number of challenges to deal with. These include addressing sensitive historical topics and balancing artistic expression with historical accuracy. Other challenges include engaging an international audience and attracting its attention, as well as allocating resources and selecting the location of the pavilion.

Dr. Nadezhda Dzhakova, the national commissioner, will be talking about these requirements. She’s the main support, making sure our country’s voice is heard in this global art conversation and balancing artistic vision with practical implementation.