Prof. Selahattin Yildiz

Dean of The Maltepe University’s 
Communication Faculty

“We have an expression in our 
country about tourism: “an industry 
without a chimney”. As tourism 
involves different industrial sectors 
and has a major capacity for cre-
ating jobs, this expression marks 
the importance of tourism in the 
economics of countries. Also, unlike 

many other industry types, tourism does not damage the environ-
ment. Tourism, fundamentally intending for mobility within and 
out of the countries, gradually became a major source of income. 
With this characteristic it has always been a determining factor in 
the economic policies of countries.
Being a major component of visual culture, cinema has a strong 
impression on human perception. With this characteristic cinema 
is an important mass media. Using nature as an actor has become 
a major technique in contemporary cinema. A historical event as a 
part of film narrative, towns and provinces, public squares, major 
architectural works, natural and cultural assets creating the at-
mosphere of the film have always been attractive as an interesting 
and mysterious unknown. Numerous films shot in Paris, Berlin, 
New York, Beijing, Rome, Tokyo and other cities have always been 
very gripping for audiences. Festivals, by all means, function like 
Dionysus festivities which transform the meeting between tourism 
and film into a mass ceremony and help bring societies and nations 
closer together. The Tour Film Festival “On The East Coast Of Europe”, 
organized in your beautiful country, in the historical town of Veliko 
Tarnovo, full of natural beauties, eminently deserves all the praise.”

Muralidhar Kumar

President of NGO – (FDBCIB) 
Forum for the development of 
business & culture between India 
& Bulgaria

“Being а Businessman since the 
early days of the Democracy in 
Bulgaria, I have dedicated my life 
to the development of cultural 
activities between India & Bulgaria. 
There is a lot for Indians to see and 

learn in Bulgaria, and the same is valid for Bulgarians too. This year 
Indian Cinema marks 100 years, what else can promote tourism in a 
better way, if not cinema.”

Irina Kanusheva

Bulgarian National Film Center, EA 

“Those of us who work in the Film 
Industry are in our souls dedicat-
ed travelers, we have passion for 
discovering not only unexplored 
geographical territories, but fresh 
dimensions of the human soul too. 
Tourism and Film are two different 
but very close ways of expressing 
our need to change and learn, 

our striving of perfection. Our path towards the depths of human 
nature could be as exotic and beautiful as the journey unveiling for 
us new geographical horizons. No person deserves to be deprived 
of either one of those opportunities. The part of festivals in that 
matter is of great importance, therefore we support them. Thus we 
hope to preserve and revive the interest of the common Bulgarian 
in the art of film and, through it, hearten him to travel – his inner 
world as well as the world around us.”

JURY