Blind Vaysha

The new movie of Bulgarian animation artist Theodore Ushev, The Physics of Sorrow, has been shortlisted for the Oscar Award of the American Film Academy in the category of animated shorts.

Photo: Honeyland / Samir Ljuma

"Honeyland" has been shortlisted in two categories, for Documentary Feature Film and also for International Feature Film, formerly known as Foreign Language Film.

Donald Sutherland and his son, Joseph Sutherland, are the official guests of the first screening.

Animator Theodor Ushev, nominated for the most prestigious award in the world of cinema - "Oscar" for his animation on Georgi Gospodinov's story, "Blind Vaysha" presented his new project in Bulgaria.

In the mirror, dimly is his first exhibition-installation in Bulgaria, which is open to the audience from February 20 to March 11 at the Sofia City Art Gallery.

Films with awards and nominations from Cannes and Toronto, from the American Academy and National award "Cesar" and "Canadian Screen" are presented to the Bulgarian audience the upcoming Canadian Film Days under the patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister on judicial reform and Foreign Minister Katerina Zaharieva.

Bulgarian animator and artist Theodor Ushev, who works in Canada, was awarded the Order of the Cavalier of Arts and Culture of the French Ministry of Culture. The nomination was signed by former Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay before taking the post of UNESCO President.

The news was announced by Ushev himself on Facebook:

The talented artist based in Canada continues to create as his new project ''Whirligig'' has been accepted for funding by the National Film Center. For many years the Bulgarian creates fascinating animated shorts praised by both critics and audience.

Pixar's Piper has been handed out the Best Animated Short Film award at the Oscars on Sunday night.

The Academy Awards have thus not brought an award to Canada's Blind Vaysha, the Bulgarian-directed title based on a Bulgarian short story, which was considered an Oscar hopeful.

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.

Blind Vaysha, directed by Bulgarian Theodore Ushev and based on a story by renowned writer Georgi Gospodinov, is one of the five titles in the Academy Awards' Animated Short Film category.

The 89th Oscars will be handed out on February 26 in Los Angeles, with La La Land tipped to scoop a number of awards, having been nominated in 14 categories, including best picture.