Film production in Sofia
Between June and December, usable daylight in Sofia moves by 6h 14min — from 15h 18min down to 9h 04min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Sofia rises at 05:49 and sets at 21:07; the evening golden hour starts at 20:24 and runs for 43 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:51–16:54, with a 46-minute golden-hour window from 16:09.
In practice, a spread of 6h 14min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:55 | 17:18 | 9h 23min | 16:34 |
| February | 07:25 | 17:58 | 10h 33min | 17:19 |
| March | 06:40 | 18:33 | 11h 53min | 17:56 |
| April | 06:46 | 20:08 | 13h 22min | 19:30 |
| May | 06:06 | 20:42 | 14h 37min | 20:02 |
| June | 05:49 | 21:07 | 15h 18min | 20:24 |
| July | 06:02 | 21:04 | 15h 02min | 20:22 |
| August | 06:34 | 20:31 | 13h 57min | 19:52 |
| September | 07:07 | 19:39 | 12h 32min | 19:02 |
| October | 07:40 | 18:46 | 11h 06min | 18:08 |
| November | 07:19 | 17:06 | 9h 47min | 16:23 |
| December | 07:51 | 16:54 | 9h 04min | 16:09 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Sofia starts at 21:28 in June and ends at 21:42 — a window of 14 minutes. In December it is 12 minutes from 17:14. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:33) and September (19:39) there are 66 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Sofia averages 14 rain days in May and 5 in September. A three-day exterior shoot in May statistically loses 1.4 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.1 °C | 9 | 6.4 |
| February | 3.3 °C | 8 | 7.6 |
| March | 5.8 °C | 12 | 8.2 |
| April | 10.8 °C | 10 | 10.4 |
| May | 15.3 °C | 14 | 11.2 |
| June | 19.8 °C | 13 | 13.0 |
| July | 22.5 °C | 6 | 13.8 |
| August | 22.5 °C | 6 | 12.4 |
| September | 18.0 °C | 5 | 10.5 |
| October | 12.2 °C | 7 | 8.7 |
| November | 6.7 °C | 9 | 6.7 |
| December | 2.4 °C | 10 | 6.1 |
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Sofia?
In June it starts at 20:24 and lasts 43 minutes; in December it starts at 16:09 and lasts 46 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Sofia get?
Between 9h 04min in December and 15h 18min in June. The 6h 14min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Sofia?
Combining daylight and rain days, July comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.