Vassil Gendov(1891-1970)

Vasil Dimov Gendov (Vasil Dimov Hadzhigendov) is a Bulgarian director , actor and playwright . He is the author of the first Bulgarian film " Bulgarian is gallant " (screened on January 13, 1915 old style), a comedy in the style of Max Linder. Vasil Gendov was born on November 24, 1891 in Sliven, Bulgaria. In the period 1905 - 1907 he is a student-intern at Theatre " Tears and Laughter " and the National Theatre . His debut was in the role of Robert Pfeiffer in the play "Educators" by O. Ernst. He graduated Theater School "Otto" in Vienna , specialized in Berlin , in the movie house "AIKO". In the period 1910 - 1912 he was an actor in the troupe of Rose Popova . In 1921, he with his wife Zhana Gendova created Sofia Itinerant Theater, where he was the chief manager, director and actor. He was a founder of Bulgarian Film Arts, creator of the first Bulgarian film production cooperative "Yantra film." Gendov initiated the establishment of the first Union of Actors in Bulgaria (1919 - 1920), the Union of Filmmakers in Bulgaria ( 1931), and the Museum of Bulgarian Cinematography (1948). He is the creator of the first Bulgarian feature film "Bulgarian is gallant ," as a screenwriter , director and actor. Vasil Gendov was at center of cinematographic life in the twenties. This tireless and ambitious film maker seemed to be the most persistent in endeavoring to build a national cinema. Vasil Gendov made films in which he played leading parts, contributed regularly to the press, fought for the cause of the handful of pioneers of the Bulgarian cinema and tried to organize them professionally. His inexhaustible spirit radiated something of the enchantment of the first years of Bulgarian cinema. He created and produced "The Revolt of the Slaves" - the first Bulgarian sound film. This is the first film about national hero Vasil Levski. The production was shot in 1932 in Karlovo. Gendov is the author of the memoirs "Thorny Path of a Bulgarian film". He died on September 3, 1970 in Sofia, Bulgaria.