photo by Ayham Khalifeh

Stefan Koutzev is a Bulgarian
filmmaker working and living in
Cologne, Germany. He focuses
on narrative storytelling at the
intersection of screenwriting,
fiction and hybrid practices,
as well as experimental films.
His shorts screened at Odense
Film Festival, DOK Leipzig,
Filmadrid, Interfilm Berlin,
Rencontres Internationales
Paris/Berlin, Beijing ISFF
and more. Graduating at the
Academy of Media Arts Cologne,
he visited periods at the European
Film College Denmark, HFBK Hamburg
and the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.

Why hasn’t everything disappeared yet
marks his debut and premiered 2026 at
the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Lately, he’s developing his second feature,
Schweres Licht (Heavy Light), selected at
Sofia Meetings, Cutting Edge Talent Camp,
Luz Lab and Pustnik Script Residency.
During Sarajevo Talents 2026, he was a
participant of the Director‘s Summit.