The National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in collaboration with the Embassy of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Egyptological Society screened the documentary The King and the Sun on Wednesday evening.
The documentary is written and narrated by Professor Teodor Lekov, a lecturer at the Bulgarian Institute of Egyptology and Director of the Bulgarian Archaeological Mission in Egypt.
The editor, consultant, and international relations coordinator of the project is Denitsa Takeva, Egyptologist and chairwoman of the Bulgarian Egyptological Society.
The Bulgarian Egyptological Society supports the development of Egyptology, and engages in projects related to the study and presentation of the culture, art, ancient Egyptian language and Egyptology as a science.
NMEC Managing and Executive Director Ahmed Ghoneim said that the film is not just one of those regular documentaries on ancient Egypt, “but a popular science film that takes the viewers on a journey through the land of Egypt and in depth of its great civilisation”.
The 60-minute documentary highlights the ancient Egyptians’ belief that their country was heaven upon earth, where the universe began and where it would end. They immortalised this philosophy in the Book of the Dead, of which sections were engraved on the burial chambers of the Old Kingdom pyramids and royal tombs of the New Kingdom.
Directed by Stanislav Terziev, the documentary covers many tourist destinations with detailed information from the Pyramids of Giza, the lofty temples of Thebes, and the tombs of the Valley of Kings, Nefertari Tomb, and even the 2021 legendary celebration of the opening of Sphinx Avenue (Road of the Rams), the oldest historical passage in the world.
This month, the documentary won the award in the Television Programme category at the International Tourism Film Festival in Türkiye in a competition between 300 productions from 39 countries.
In his speech, Bulgarian Ambassador Deyan Katratchev traced the Cairo-Sofia relations and mutual visits and agreements signed between the two countries.
Egypt is the first Arab country with which Bulgaria established diplomatic relations back in 1926.
He highlighted the Egyptian-Bulgarian co-operation in Egyptology and archaeology within the broader context of the historical links.
The film screening coincides with the occasion of 24 May, the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture and of Slavic literature.
The date is celebrated in Bulgaria as the Day of the Bulgarian enlightenment, education, science and culture.
The event featured two musical performances — one by Egyptian harpist Manal Mohie Eddin accompanied by Bulgarian violinist Tsvetelina Krasteva. The second was with Bulgarian artist Emmanuelle Kaltcheva-Djaima and Egyptian Accordionella band.
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