Patrick Smithuis is the author of a series of videos run on Youtube with the title The Truth about Bulgaria's Forests that show the bitter local reality as seen by a foreigner.
Patrick Smithuis first came to Bulgaria in 1992-1993 for joint work with Bulgarian textile companies. He later got into the construction and real estate business. Since 2007 he has been living in Bulgaria, is married to a Bulgarian woman and has two daughters. For a year now he has been active shooting documentaries and has also been involved in charity projects.
The inception of Patrick's documentaries was 50 km away from the city of Sofia at the southern edge of Iskar Dam. From that point he started a journey of Bulgaria asking questions… questions that most often get zero answers ... So far, Patrick has shot 14 films about various issues in the country - from problems with the construction of a landfill near the Iskar Dam to the problems of Bulgarian forests - their unlawful and widespread logging and the sale of timber for pennies.
Patrick Smithuis's first film My Personal Pain and Sorrow opens with that he has long accepted Bulgaria as his new homeland, and he often feels pain for what he sees every day. Since 1989 there have been hardly any positive changes happening here. Even after 25 years of transition the word jiggery-pokery still has a cult status at all levels of society. He wonders why young people leave for Europe or US and why the nature is ruined. What is the master plan for Bulgaria, Patrick asks with plenty of personal pain.
All films by Patrick Smithuis are available to watch at www.mynewhomeland.org
English: Daniela Konstantinova
The three-day Cherry Festival begins tonight in Kyustendil's Velbazd Square with the preparation of 1,500 ice creams with cherry syrup , reports BNR correspondent Kiril Falin. Especially for the event, which traditionally attracts thousands of..
A string of charming towns, such as Asenovgrad, Perushtitsa, Krichim, Peshtera, Patalenitsa and Varvara are situated in the stretch between the Upper Thracian Plain and the Rhodopes. Along the valleys of the Chepelarska, Vacha, Stara..
One of the higher education institutions in Bulgaria that offers majors with the opportunity to study in French is New Bulgarian University (NBU) . These include Political Science and Applied Foreign Languages for Administration and Management (in..
Butterfly and wildlife enthusiasts gathered near the waterfall in the village of Polska Skakavitsa (Kyustendil region) for the Butterfly Festival to..
The town of Tutrakan, located along the banks of the Danube River, gathers apricot producers from the region for the traditional festival "Tutrakan – the..
The Clean Life Foundation is today launching a four-week therapy programme for children who have tried opiates, combining therapeutic sessions with..
Clear