Freedom is an action
In March 2023, the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria issued a final decision on the case, rejecting baby Sara's claim and refusing to issue her a birth certificate on the sole argument that she is not a Bulgarian citizen, thus contradicting the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (Grand Chamber) C-490/20.
With its decision, the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria violated EU law and therefore we at Deystvie signalled the European Commission to open a criminal procedure for the violation of EU law. Simultaneously with this action, we filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights that the Bulgarian authorities violated the European Convention on Human Rights with their acts.
Premiere
The premiere of the short documentary ‘Think Freedom: Freedom is an Action’ gathered more than 100 people on Friday, 17 June, 2022 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The premiere triggered massive interest, especially in the LGBTI community, as the film was featured in the Sofia Pride Film Fest, just one day before Sofia Pride.
The premiere was organised by Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, in partnership with the LGBTI organization Deystvie. The screening of the film was followed by a discussion with the main character – Denitsa Lyubenova; Veneta Limberova, ex-Chairperson of Deystvie; and Film Director, Anna Stoeva, and Producer David Djambazov, from Tanuki Films. The discussion was moderated by Hristo Hristozov from Cinema House.
Media coverage
The film tells the story of Denitsa Lyubenova, a human rights lawyer and LGBTI activist. It shows the process behind the scenes and the emotional journey of one of the most prominent legal battles.
The case for the parentage of baby SARA from her two mothers marks a historic victory and milestone for Denitsa and the LGBT organization Deystvie.
The decision sets a precedent for authorities to recognize the rights of the children with same-sex parents and for the rights of LGBTI people to a family and private life.
The documentary portrait is part of “Think Freedom” documentary series of Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. It embodies the core liberal principles of freedom, choice and responsibility. The overarching theme is the main characters‘ self-determination to pursue freedom by overcoming challenges in the shrinking spaces of their democracies.