Let’s Make a Movie
From 2023 to 2025, Geotechmin OOD and Ellatzite-Med AD, in partnership with Harlequin Association, implemented the Let’s Make a Movie project, enabling students from Etropole Municipality and Srednogorie region to become active creators of socially valuable content.
The project went beyond traditional education by combining creative endeavour with firsthand experience in a real mining environment. Through this project, young people not only learned the fundamentals of filmmaking but also developed teamwork, critical thinking and storytelling skills – competencies that will continue to benefit them in the future.
Another important goal lies at the heart of the initiative: to foster a deeper understanding of mining professions and their role in modern society. Rather than being presented from an external perspective, these professions were explored and narrated by the students themselves, making the messages more accessible, impactful and authentic.
In the first year of the project, more than 40 students from 13 schools participated in specialized training sessions led by university professors from the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts “Krastyo Sarafov” and experts from Bulgarian National Television. The documentaries they produced – Loving Your Profession and Professions for You – received international recognition, demonstrating that when young people are given the opportunity and support, they can create meaningful content of social value that resonates with audiences.
Over the next years, the project expanded in both scope and impact. More students and schools joined, while the documentaries became increasingly insightful and thematically diverse. Working side by side with industry professionals, the participants explored, analyzed and presented real mining professions through their films.
A defining feature of Let’s Make a Movie is its focus on dual education and on strengthening the connection between high-school education and the real-world professional environment. The stories of students and their mentors have turned the films into a bridge between generations and a source of inspiration for young people as they consider their future careers.
In 2025, the project reached a new milestone, bringing together more than 100 students from 13 schools. Their work resulted in 13 short documentaries, compiled into a single film titled The Precious Copper. Together, the films explore the role of copper as a critical resource for the future while addressing themes such as technological development and the growing use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking.
The awards received at the Harlequin International Youth Media Festival recognize not only the quality of the films produced, but also the value of the project itself as a model for experiential, hands-on education.
Let’s Make a Movie is more than a creative initiative. It helps young people build confidence, develop new skills and broaden their perspective, empowering them to find their voice and recognize real opportunities for professional development in Bulgaria.
You can watch the documentaries here.
