3 DAYS ACTING MASTERCLASS IN PLOVDIV

NOVA film and the Stoyan Kambarev Art Foundation are pleased to invite you to Plovdiv again, but this time to a three-day Acting Masterclass with Hollywood star Gary Stretch and actress and producer Dessy Tenekedjieva, who last year held their first two-day meeting with young talents in Plovdiv.

The project is implemented with the support of the Plovdiv Municipality and is part of the 2025 Calendar of Cultural Events of the city.

The Masterclass will combine the unique approach and method of work of two strong personalities and internationally recognized actors and producers such as Gary Stretch and Dessy Tenekedjieva. They have been working in partnership for several years and will create a completely different and exciting method and approach to film, TV and theater material. Gary and Dessy believe that although there are basic laws and various globally recognized and established methods of work, each artist should be trained individually to develop their own approach and technique for building the image.

Gary Stretch will share his extensive experience, based on the training system of Janet Alhanti, whom he met as a young actor in Los Angeles. They became close friends and Gary studied with her for more than twenty-five years. Janet Alhanti is one of the most successful and respected acting teachers in the history of cinema. A student of the legendary Sanford Meisner, she went her own way and slightly modified his method, and over the years her loyal students have become some of the biggest Hollywood stars such as Sidney Poitier, Marlon Brando, Benicio del Torro, Josh Brolin, Salma Hayek, Sean Penn, Natasha Henstridge and many others.

6th, 7th and 8th of June

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

From 10:30am. till 17:30am. with one-hour lunch break.

Big conference room "Boris Hristov

Price: 250BGN for the three days
We are waiting for you! Limited tickets.
You can buy tickets HERE

The Stoyan Kambarev Foundation will cover the full fee for two of the participants who are financially disadvantaged.
It will also cover 40% of the fee for 4 other students.
To do so, please email Eleni Dekidis. We will review the applications and let you know the week after. Hurry, places are limited. There will be no more than 20 active participants.

Anyone who is professionally engaged in cinema, theater, dance or any of the stage arts. Also, we will be curious to welcome absolute debutants as well, so believing that there is no age or limit for talent and we would be happy to discover and we also develop new talents from other professions. Recommended minimum age is 10 years.
We invite everyone for whom life is a passion!

It is a mandatory condition for the candidate to be fluent in English, at least spoken, due to the fact that the Masterclass will be held in English.

Part of the process will be captured by cameras. By purchasing a ticket, the applicant agrees to take part in the Masterclass and may be filmed as part of future ones promotional video materials (TV report, short film or advertising videos for social networks, etc. media).

During the early nineties, Gary Stretch was the glamour-boy of British boxing He was the British & WBC international welterweight Champion. Due to his massive popularity the cross over to entertainment began. He did campaigns for high-end brands including Calving Klein, Hugo Boss, Levi and Versace. Gary turned to the art of acting and in 2004, his hard work finally paid off when he was cast as psychotic gangster Sonny in Shane Meadows highly acclaimed Dead Man's Shoes. Stretch received a BIFA nomination alongside another British talent, Paddy Considine and Toby Kebell. This picture finally earned Gary the recognition he deserved. He went on to co star opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie In Oliver Stones' Alexander. Stretch Produced & Directed Through My Father's Eyes The Ronda Rowsey Story (LionsGate) Earning best film. Other films include Savages opposite Benicio Del Toro & Salma Hayek). Gary's latest film which he executive produced is the upcoming drama-thriller The Wheels of Heaven, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, produced and starring by Dessy Tenekedjieva, where Gary stars opposite Mickey Rourke and Geoff Bell.

See a segment about Gary.

Dessy was only 14 years old when she made her film debut. Since then she has more than 35 movies, including major international productions.
Since 2000 Dessy's production companys NOVA Film and later Black Sea Film have produced over 200 art projects for the international market including feature films, documentaries, shorts, TV shows, commercials, music videos & albums. Dessy's multi- awarded movies were represented at the most critical world cinema forums and festivals. As Maria Medici in Il Mеstiere Delle Armi, directed by Ermanno Olmi, she is the first Bulgarian actress representing Bulgaria at the Cannes Film Festival, with a lead role in a movie from the Official competition / Golden Palm. One of Dessy's high acclaimed films was Saving my Pig where she starred opposite Gerard Depardieu. Dessy has just finished her latest project as producer The Wheels Of Heaven, directed by Ben Charles Edwards, where she's starring along side Gary Stretch, Mickey Rourke and Geoff Bell. This is an exciting project for Dessy and Gary (Exec Producer) as they gave the two lead roles in the film to young and upcoming Bulgarian actors Eleonora Ivanova and Dimitar Nikolov.
Dessy Tenekedjieva is the Founder and Chairman of the Stoyan Kambarev Art Foundation in 2008. She established THE 355 FILM AWARD in 2019 to support young filmmakers, has produced numerous short movies and has been committed in discovering and developing a young Bulgarian talent.
Dessy was the official spokesperson of Jean- Paul Gaultier and Suzuki.
She is currentlty based in London & Los Angeles.

See a news segment about Dessy.