Sevda Shishmanova (born June 2, 1962, in Razgrad) is a Bulgarian producer, director and journalist of Bulgarian Turkish origin.

Education edit

Shishmanova studied Bulgarian Philology at Sofia University and documentary film directing at Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts.[1]

Career edit

Since 1992, she has worked on local and international television and radio assignments for Bulgarian National Television and Economedia Press Group including in Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern Iraq, Macedonia and Turkey.

She is the producer of the award-winning[2] Bulgarian series Undercover for which she was nominated as best producer[3] and the author of more than fifteen documentaries.

In 1996, along with cameraman Hirsto Obreshkov, Shishmanova was arrested in Diyarbakir and interrogated for two days.[4]

From 2010 until 2017 she was program director of BNT 1.

Recognition edit

  • Member of Management Board, Programing director and Head of Film Production of Bulgarian National Television (2006–2010).
  • "Johns Hopkins University SAIS – Novartis International Journalism Award" 2001 for the documentary Unfinished War: Macedonia's Unresolved 'Albanian Issue'.[5]
  • Unfinished War was nominated in top 10 for international journalism achievements.
  • Director of Programme BNT1 and Head of Film Production (2010–2017)[6]
  • Member of the National Counsel of Cinema (2006–2008)
  • Member of the International jury of Sofia Film Festival 2007
  • Member of the International jury of Filmini / short movie film festival 2008
  • Member of the Jury of National Film Festival "Golden Rose" 2010
  • Member of the Jury of International Students Film Festival "Early Bird" 2016
  • Member of the International Jury of Master of Art Film Festival (2016–2017)
  • Member of International Jury of Sofia Independent Film Festival[7]

Filmography edit

  • Undercover (2011–2016 5 seasons) as producer
  • Fourth Estate (2013) as producer
  • The Umbrella (2022) as director
  • Remains of Life (2022) as director[8][9]

References edit

  1. ^ "Севда Алексеева Шишманова". June 2, 2015.
  2. ^ ""Под прикритие" обра наградите на фестивала "Медиамикс" в Албена". Tialoto (in Bulgarian). Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  3. ^ "Шишманова, Митовски, Билалов и още трима с номинации в Монте Карло за "Под прикритие"". www.24chasa.bg. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  4. ^ Reporters Sans Frontières 1996 Report: Freedom of the Press Throughout the World. (1996). United Kingdom: John Libbey. p341
  5. ^ "SAIS-Novartis International Journalism Awards Program Announces Year 2001 Winners Pre-09/11 Afghanistan is Topic of Top Journalists | Johns Hopkins SAIS". sais.jhu.edu.
  6. ^ "Севда Шишманова се разделя с БНТ след 25 години в обществената медия – Българска национална телевизия". bnt.bg.
  7. ^ "Sofia Independent Film Festival Began – Българска национална телевизия". bnt.bg.
  8. ^ Jeleva, Pavlina. "PRODUCTION: Bulgarian Political Journalist Sevda Shishmanova Develops Debut Feature - FilmNewEurope.com". www.filmneweurope.com.
  9. ^ "Bulgarian feature on international terrorism Remains of Life in development". Cineuropa – the best of european cinema.

External links edit