By Staff Reporter.
An award winning documentary film about an inspiring nonagenarian living in Limassol will have it’s Bulgarian premier at the prestigious Red Cross International Film Festival, due to be held in Varna in June.
‘Life begins at 90’ was filmed and produced in Cyprus by ‘In Focus Films’, and features 95 year old Ray Woolley, a World War 2 veteran, his healthy approach to ageing, passion for diving and inspirational approach to life.
It was selected from thousands of entries from all over the world.
The film will be in competition at the event which is held every two years and is organised by the Bulgarian Red Cross, under the auspices of the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Health Organisation and UNESCO.
Patron of the festival is the Vice President of Republic of Bulgaria, Iliana Iotova, who will open the red carpet event with the festival director, Ilko Raev.
The director of the film has been invited to attend.
“This is a wonderful film festival and we are privileged that our film about the world’s oldest scuba diver, inspirational Ray Woolley, who is 95, and his passion for promoting healthy ageing is a part of it,” a spokesman for the film told the Paphos Post.
The 18th International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films has the following main theme: “Aggression – Humanity – Cinema”, and will be held between June 13- 17.
Ray will celebrate his 96th birthday in August, 2019, and has gained a growing number of admirers from around the globe after claiming the title of the world’s oldest scuba diver.
“I hope that people will enjoy my film and that it inspires them to get out and keep moving, that would be great,” he told the Paphos Post.
The motto of the festival is: “By humanism to peace and friendship” and it has a growing importance as a powerful tool for the dissemination of humanitarian and cultural values through cinema.
The festival is traditionally attended by leaders of the international Red Cross organisations, as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the League (now Federation) of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Health Organisation, UNESCO, SIDALC, the Association of Film Producers, Association of Film Distributors, the International Organisation of Film Critics, National cinematographers and film production houses.
The festival also holds meetings, discussions and round tables, that will allow the audience meet with the guests and participants
‘Life begins at 90’ premiered at the 13th Cyprus International film festival where it was awarded Best Cinematography in a feature documentary.
