Ivan Andonov on AllMovie

In a career that spanned nearly 30 years, Ivan Andonov earned success as an actor, an animator, and a director of feature films in his native Bulgaria. He began acting on-stage in 1956, the year he graduated from Bulgaria's Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts in Sofia. Two years later, Andonov joined the National Youth Theater and in 1960, he joined the Satirical Theater where Andonov remained until 1965. Andonov made his first screen appearance in 1957, then appeared in close to 40 films; he was best known for his part in Rangel Vulchanov's No Malkiya Ostrov/On a Small Island. After leaving the Satirical Theater, Andonov began directing animated films at the Animated Film Studio in Sofia. Freely experimenting with different techniques, Andonov's animated shorts won several awards at international film festivals. In addition to his work in animation, he also was a successful graphic artist and designer of movie posters. Andonov directed and starred in his first live-action feature film, Trudna Milosc/A Difficult Love, in 1974, and subsequently helmed several films through 1990. Since 1988, Andonov has headed the artistic council of the Cadence Animated Film Studio.