Dr. Petar Kardzhilov is an established Bulgarian film historian, researcher, and writer with multifaceted creative interests, whose contribution to national culture spans both scholarly research and fiction. Born in 1950 in Stara Zagora, he graduated in Film Studies from the Krastyo Sarafov Higher Institute for Theatre Arts (now NATFIZ) in 1980. His expertise has been shaped over decades of work at the National Film Archive and as the head of the Bulgarian National Television archives. He is a Doctor of Science and an associate member of the Institute of Art Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, highlighting his high academic status and authority in the research of early cinema in Bulgaria and the Balkans.
Kardzhilov's professional career is marked by significant journalistic and editorial work - he served as deputy editor-in-chief of FEP magazine, headed Fantastic Stories magazine, and is the secretary of the Society of Bulgarian Science Fiction Writers. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the "Golden Quill" and honors from the Bulgarian Film Academy. His creative range is impressive, moving from fundamental filmographic studies to award-winning speculative fiction. In the Iztok-Zapad catalog, he has established himself as one of the most widely read retellers of ancient heritage, successfully conveying eternal mythological themes with a new, captivating rhythm.
- "Ancient Greek Myths and Legends" (Vol. 1 and 2) - a grand and accessible retelling of ancient plots that has become a favorite for generations of readers due to its linguistic richness and precision.
- "The Love Adventures of Olympic Gods and Mythical Heroes" - a thematic continuation of the mythological cycle that explores the most intriguing and emotional aspects of the ancient Greek pantheon.
- "The Orbit of Sisyphus" and "Ghost Cycle" - iconic collections of science fiction prose that establish the author as a master of psychological and philosophical elements in Bulgarian speculative fiction.
Today, Petar Kardzhilov continues his active educational work, combining the precision of a scholar with the imagination of a storyteller. His legacy at Iztok-Zapad serves as a bridge between classical antiquity and the modern reader, offering knowledge presented with profound respect for literary tradition.
