The documentary film “The Kotel Carpet – Sacredness and Joy in Everyday Life” will be presented to the public at the National Ethnographic Museum in Sofia. The event is organized jointly with the Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv and the Regional Television Center – Plovdiv.

In this large-scale production, the team of BNT Plovdiv gathered memories, stories, secret codes, and sacred techniques related to the making of some of the most renowned Bulgarian carpets. Some of the last master craftswomen of the trade reveal the authentic world of the weaving art. Researchers, collectors, and descendants of carpet-making families also appear before the camera.

Over the course of 54 minutes, viewers are immersed in the extraordinary world of threads concealing symbols of knowledge and wisdom, as well as ideas of faith, joy, pain, and hope.

The film also answers many questions: why Kotel became the town where this craft was born; what the roles of men and women in the family used to be; what connection Plovdiv has with the Kotel carpets; why the Star of Bethlehem shines on one of the most emblematic carpets, “Curly Stars”; and many more. The old Galatan School in Kotel also opens its doors, reviving memories of a time when Bulgarian households had carpets for a child’s first steps, for Christmas, Surva, Lazarus Day, weddings, and other rituals.

The film was created in support of the efforts to include the specific Kotel weaving tradition and craftsmanship in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is also a continuation of the mission of the Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv project “Alive Through Weaving” — to preserve and promote this heritage, not merely by exhibiting valuable collections and artifacts, but by turning every textile into a universe of symbols and messages.

Date: May 26, 2026
Venue: National Ethnographic Museum (IEFSEM BAS), Winter Garden of the Royal Palace, Sofia, 6A Moskovska St.
Time: 5:30 PM