Forum Critique is an educational initiative of the Rhodope Film Festival (RIFE), dedicated to advancing film criticism and fostering in-depth dialogue on documentary cinema. The program brings together established critics, journalists, researchers, and emerging writers in a space for learning, exchange, and professional dialogue.
The forum features a series of public lectures and discussions led by distinguished guests. The 2026 edition includes Genoveva Dimitrova (The Meaning and Meaninglessness of Film Criticism), Lyudmila Dyakovska (Visual Communication and Imagery), and Deyan Statulov (Propaganda and Censorship in Cinema).
As part of the initiative, an annual publication of critical essays dedicated to the films in the festival programme is released. The volume brings together analyses by film professionals, including Ilina Perianova, Denitsa Ganeva, and Kalina Nikolova, edited by Galina D. Georgieva. Together, these texts offer diverse perspectives on the festival selection while situating documentary cinema within broader artistic, social, and political contexts.
Forum Critique is organized by Attic Films in partnership with the Rhodope International Documentary Film Festival (RIFE) with the financial support of the National Culture Fund of Bulgaria under the Criticism Programme. The initiative’s media partner is KinoBox Bulgaria.
