Always on
This project successfully funded on 16th September 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Songs of Resilience
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
Aim
To make a film that highlights the contemporary voices of two young female folk musicians emerging from traditional society in Bulgaria.
Hello, I'm Kate Kotcheff. I am British but also half Bulgarian on my father's side, so this is a personal journey for me as a film-maker.
Since the Crowdfunder is now under way I thought I'd post some of the testimonials up front: For more info on the project please keep scrolling down....
Testimonials
"I've known Kate for many years and this is a great project, looking forward to watching the film" Neal Baer. Producer of the award-winning feature documentary 'Welcome to Chechnya' (2020) amongst many other renowned TV series.
"I am a huge fan of Kate Kotcheff’s work. Her new project documenting Bulgarian music and musicians looks like it will be a beautifully shot film with appeal not only to fans of Bulgaria but to an international audience of people who love world music. I can’t wait to see the finished film.” JIM STARK - PRODUCER
Jim is known for Triangle of Sadness (2022) and Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train (1989) and Down by Law (1986), amongst many others.
"Knowing Kate for many years, and seeing her short documentaries progress, it was with great excitement that I heard about her new project in Bulgaria. I am very proud to assist her in her journey to highlight a very hidden world to which I know she will do great justice. As a solo female filmmaker (camera/director/producer) in the field, Kate is a brave and exciting person to support." - NIKOLAI GALITZINE - EXEC. PRODUCER
Nikolai is a director, DoP and editor. Currently he is developing Prophet of Doom (Winner Best Pitch FEST 2020), an investigative documentary, and he is in post on his feature Midgardakirkja shot in Iceland.
This lyrical documentary traces the journeys of two extraordinary young women, each navigating her own path to self-expression—both in voice and spirit. Guided by intuition and tinged with the quiet power of folklore, it reveals the untold stories of two rising cultural beacons in contemporary Bulgaria.
Motivation
Growing up I listened to and loved Bulgarian folk music, especially The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices all-female choir. I gravitated towards this sound and its intensity, and this was one of the main triggers that set me off to discover where this music came from.
In their world, I caught a glimpse of the life I might have lived—had my own path in youth taken another turn. I was raised in a household charged with creativity and competition, where striving for perfection was expected and being the best often fell short. That same drive, that pressure, echoes in the challenging landscape these singers must endure—and I felt it resonate deeply.
Early Development
Since thew summer of 2023 I have been travelling in the Rhodope mountains, visiting schools and meeting girls and their parents, to learn what it is to be in one of these choirs.
I discovered young people struggling to become the best folk singers in the country at singing competitions – and I saw an ancient traditional world colliding with a contemporary one where I saw many contradictions and conflicts...
Characters
I have chosen to follow two 18 year old girls from opposing universes, both with a passion for folk music:
Maria, a Guida player from the mountains, a sensitive young woman with an androgynous appearance, who is also an artist, a photographer, a nature lover, but who is different, a bit socially awkward but a quietly strong and unique character.
And Ivona, the confident urban teenager who wants to be the best. She studies at the best music school in Sofia, sings Chalga in the summer holidays, and wants to spend time with her boyfriend like most of her girlfriends.
There are parts of me that identify with both these characters and their contradictions: The dichotomy between career and daily life.
Approach
I am aware that I must be mindful and ethical in my approach to filming these young women, especially in their personal environments. I take the position of trust very seriously when I make a film about another human being.
I’m following my intuition, a thread if you will, in search of the poetry of the lives of these young women and their communities...and by following these folk musicians, I hope to uncover a world rich in beauty and strength, and to share the stories of their daily lives: stories that deserve global attention and offer lessons in resilience, culture, and spirit.
What are the funds for
I am crowdfunding to raise the crucial next stage funds for the film's development, to keep the project going over the next 8 months, which will then take the project into pre-production. Then we will apply for production funding for the main part of the filming, and for post production. The total budget of the film is £200K. I have spent £17K so far developing the project up to this point.
It is critical for me to have the time and financial stability to follow these girls when they are available. My plan is to stay local to them, and do further research into their culture and music.
This critical stage funding will give me the chance to dedicate my time to allow the characters to tell their story. So ultimately this campaign will give me the opportunity to express a deeper truth about their lives.
Here is where your contribution will go →
This development budget (listed below) will allow me to attend the development workshop in Serbia and to pay for 3 x month long periods in Bulgaria so I can be available at a moments notice to film the girls: Maria in her day-to-day life in and around the small city of Plovdiv and in the Rhodope mountain town of Smolyan. And Ivona I will film in the capital city Sofia.
I am shooting the film myself so already have most camera and sound equipment necessary but occasionally I will hire a Sound Recordist and a Camera Assistant on days where extra crew are needed. All crew will be paid in line with Bulgarian industry standards which is great value as it's approx half the price of UK crew. I will have a native speaker translator/ production assistant with me at all times when filming who is local to the towns and who is fluent in the local dialects.
Research and shoot
- Travel/ attend Interaction Workshop in Pozega, Serbia end of Aug = £1,785.
- Flights, accommodation and subsistence 3 x month research and shooting trips 1 x Fall/ Winter 2025 and 2 x Spring 2026=£4,905
- Translator @ £100 a day x 2 weeks for each month long trip= £100 x 7 x 6=£4,200
- Sound Recordist with portable mixer & equipment x 10 days= £2600
- Transportation: airport taxis & occasional car with a driver, connect Sofia to Plovdiv and Plovdiv to Smolyan plus car rental Smolyan = £650
Post
- Transcription and subtitling for editing= £1800
- Transcode, grade and and prepare digital files for editing 8 x days = £1600
- Editor 8 weeks @£750 a week= £6000
- Admin, Insurance & Contingency = £1460
Total= £25,000.
Team
This will be my first feature documentary. I have directed short films, both fiction and documentary, and have had exhibitions as a photographer. To back this up I produced many different types of film projects, so I bring a wealth of experience to this project.
So far, the producer Elena Doroshenko has joined for the project's development and in the UK Nikolai Galitzine will come on as an Executive Producer who brings technical experience as a film-maker.
Latest News
We are pleased to announce the project has been officially selected by the Interaction Doc Workshop – 13th edition 19 – 25 August 2025 | Požega, Serbia
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made