IN CONVERSATION WITH KRASSIMIRA BELEV

interview by JANA LETONJA
photography by JSQUARED

Krassimira Belev is an award-winning Bulgarian actress, writer, and producer whose fearless storytelling and boundary-pushing artistry have positioned her as one of the most dynamic emerging voices in international cinema. Known for her ability to blend deeply personal narratives with universal themes, Krassimira made her feature debut with ‘The Therapy’, a psychological drama she wrote, produced, and starred in, which was screened at the 2025 Marché du Film at Cannes and went on to win multiple international awards. Beyond her screen work, Krassimira is a passionate advocate for women in film, co-founding the FFC Global Short Film Fund to support female and non-binary filmmakers and FFC Bulgaria – platform created to support Bulgarian female filmmakers. 

You’ve built an incredible career as an actress, writer, and producer, often wearing all three hats on one project. What first inspired you to tell your own stories?

I find that, as with a lot of things, sometimes the road is not what we expect it to be, and that ends up opening a lot of doors for us. I didn’t know I wanted to write and produce until the moment came when I had a story to tell, and because it was so specific to me, I couldn’t possibly be “cast” as that, because no one else would have this exact story. That was when I produced my first short film, and after that, the feeling of freedom to create was something I had to have in my life. 

How did your multicultural background shape your worldview and your approach to storytelling?

Moving often as a child and travelling a lot throughout my life has always put me out of my comfort zone, which I believe is a huge blessing, but it also comes with the feeling of being a little lost and always somehow distant. This is why I have always been in the pursuit of belonging, and I’m slowly realizing that belonging doesn’t have to be to a place specifically. I believe that if we find our true purpose, the sense of belonging will follow. I’m still working on it.

What was the moment when you knew that filmmaking, not just acting, was your path?

I can’t recall a specific moment, but rather a feeling I would get from being involved in the production process. It was never something I was particularly looking to do in my life, but I felt it gave me a different sense of belonging. It gave me the opportunity to work on projects I deeply care for, including my personal ones. And yes, it takes more time and a whole other set of skills, but the feeling of being involved in the entire creation from start to finish is nothing short of magical.

‘The Therapy’ marks your first feature film as writer, producer, and star. What was the most challenging part of bringing that project to life? 

I think one of the biggest challenges I encountered was the fact that I was doing it for the first time. By saying that, I don’t only mean that I wasn’t as familiar with the process, but also the way the desire to create for the first time was met. Since I had no other feature to show, finding people who believed in the project and wanted to work on it was challenging. But I believe that we found exactly the right people who were meant to work on it. We met a lot of rejection along the way, and even though I was used to rejection as an actor, it was new to me to think I might be rejected even on the other side. But I do love that saying “rejection is redirection,” and working on this project in that capacity helped me embrace this even more.

The film explores creative vulnerability and emotional resilience. How much of it is autobiographical?

The film in itself is not biographical, but there are definitely elements of my life that are present there. The whole motivation behind it is actually personal. I found that as an actor, there was a lot of looking for external validation, at least in my experience, and that would often block my creativity. The thing that actually unblocked me was realizing I don’t need validation to create, and that waiting for this permission is the biggest waste of time, time that can be used in so many fulfilling ways. Life is a gift, and being able to create is the most precious thing in the world. It’s almost as if our life is a blank canvas and we are the ones painting. On that note, we all start with a different canvas for sure, but at some point the painting becomes our responsibility.

The film’s success has opened doors for you as both an artist and a producer. How are you navigating this new chapter in your career?

I’m yet to learn how to balance the different roles I’m undertaking. I think sometimes I get lost in the pace of everything happening in my life so quickly that I don’t make enough time for creativity and inspiration. I’m so grateful for everything that has happened this year, but I also feel that I need to do some work on finding the way to balance my writing and acting work with producing.

Your films often explore complex women navigating creative and emotional challenges. What draws you to these kinds of characters?

I love psychology and humans, their way of thinking and how we are so different and so similar at the same time. I believe there aren’t enough stories about the willingness to pursue your dreams and the psychological challenges that come with it. We know what it takes on paper, but it’s so much deeper than that. I love complex characters that mirror real-life people. Everyone has so much going on in their heads all the time. We just don’t see it.

When you step into multiple roles on a project, how do you maintain creative clarity and emotional balance?

Trusting my team. I believe that’s the most important thing when it comes to wearing multiple hats, because in some moments I have to be there in a specific capacity. If I’m on set as an actor, I’m there as an actor, and at that time other people take responsibility for what’s happening behind the camera, and I trust them. But also, being on both sides helps with the entire process. It doesn’t limit you. On the contrary, I think everything starts to make a lot more sense when you know how it works.

Tell us about the FFC Global Short Film Fund and what inspired you to co-found it.

I met Liza van der Smissen and Nicole Liberman during Cannes Film Festival. The connection was instant, and right then and there I knew I wanted to work with them. They were organizing the film fund already, and it was the perfect timing for me to get on board and be a part of the project. Supporting women in film is so important. Making my first short film absolutely changed my life. I had no budget and had never produced anything before, but having someone believe in the story was everything. I find that often just having the belief and support, whether it’s from us or from people around us, can give us the strength to find solutions to any problem.

Why is it so important for you to champion women and underrepresented voices in film, especially in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe?

Eastern European women are often represented in such a stereotypical and untrue way. It tears me up and hurts me when I see how we are perceived through film, and film educates people and reinforces this incredibly offensive stereotype. We are so much more than that, and we have to overcome not only being overlooked as women but also as Eastern Europeans. I will always champion all people in film who are representing us as the complex, strong, brave, and incredibly resilient women that we are.

You have several exciting projects in the pipeline, including ‘Hawaii’, ‘My Treat”, and ‘It Goes on All Fours’. What can you share about these upcoming works?

In these projects, I am involved on the production side. They are all very different from each other, but all connected to me in some way or another. Having the ability to support these projects is something I’m very grateful for. I do have an acting project coming up, which I’m very excited about. Writing and acting are truly what’s in my heart and fuel everything else that I do.

What kinds of stories are you most passionate about telling in the next chapter of your career?

I would love to explore more themes of beauty, perfection, and a little more of the fantasy world as well. I have so many things I would love to do. I find the ability to narrow the focus to something specific a little limiting at times, and I always like to keep an open mind to allow life to guide me in the right direction. It’s truly magical. If we decide on something, it might happen. But if we are not as specific, some amazing things can find us that we didn’t even know we needed.