BTA dedicated the September issue of its LIK magazine to the 100th anniversaries of legendary Bulgarian actors Georgi Partsalev (1925-1989) and Georgi Kaloyanchev (1925-2012), celebrating their lasting legacy in theatre and film. Titled “The Kings of Laughter,” the issue was presented officially on September 20 during the Golden Rose Film Festival in Varna, with simultaneous video links to BTA press clubs in Bulgaria and abroad.
The magazine includes reflections by Editor-in-Chief Georgi Lozanov, articles on the actors’ careers and collaborations, archival materials and interviews, and tributes by directors Ivan Nichev and Zdravko Mitkov. Free copies are distributed to libraries and institutions, with an online version also available.
BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said Bulgaria needs people who make it smile. He argued that it is healthy for the nation to enjoy the gentle humour that Partsalev and Kaloyanchev created: their work can serve as an example for those in power, who could benefit from a little self-irony. “Bulgarian films lack laughter today, but society as a whole lacks it too,” Valchev said.
He recalled quotes from the actors: Partsalev said, “Laughter is a serious matter,” while Kaloyanchev offered a lesson on the pursuit of success with over-the-top pathos: “A running person not only breathes heavily, but also laughs with difficulty.”
LIK Editor-in-Chief Georgi Lozanov said that “to make people laugh is to inspire them with freedom”. Joining the event on Zoom, he noted that cinema allows contemporary audiences to experience the talent of these actors, even as theatre audiences who saw them live are gradually shrinking. The magazine helps bridge generations, preserving cultural memory so that future audiences can laugh at what previous generations laughed at, creating a sense of continuity and unity in national culture.
Lozanov also compared the two actors’ personalities and careers: Kaloyanchev quickly became a beloved national figure, adapting to social circumstances, while Partsalev remained sceptical of society and was unwilling to conform to the rules of a totalitarian world. Despite their differences, they shared one key trait: the talent to make people laugh.
LIK Managing Editor Yanitsa Hristova cited an interview in the current issue, in which director Zdravko Mitkov said the vast theatre audiences who adored Kaloyanchev and Partsalev are unfortunately shrinking by the year, and their remarkable theatrical talent may eventually be forgotten by contemporary audiences. Their film roles, however, endure, allowing Bulgarians to continue appreciating their talent and artistic vision.
Hristova recalled that films starring Partsalev and Kaloyanchev had featured at the Golden Rose Bulgarian Festival in the 1960s and 1970s. The new issue of LIK covers these and many other highlights of the two actors’ cinema and theatre careers, as well as their personal and professional achievements.
Peter Todorov, Executive Director of the National Film Center, said Bulgarian cinema needs more comedies and a refreshing of memory. He stressed contemporary audiences need to broaden their understanding of comedy as an art form to appreciate its thematic richness.
He recalled that brilliant actors like Kaloyanchev and Partsalev appeared in numerous films and enjoyed the audiences’ immense love. According to Todorov, the new LIK issue offers a deeper appreciation of their legacy and may inspire more Bulgarian directors to take on the challenging genre of comedy. He thanked BTA for making the presentation of the LIK magazine a Golden Rose festival tradition.
Guests at the event included film critic Bojidar Manov, Commander Nikolay Danailov, a former commanding officer of the Bulgarian Navy Research/Survey Vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii, and ARMENPRESS News Agency Director Narine Nazaryan.
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