This article first appears in Vol. 34: Revival.

Corona Corona isn't just committed to serving crisp, cold beers with lime for you to enjoy in balmy, barefoot and downright blissful settings with your friends. Through sharing stories from around the world, this beer brand is actively trying to encourage all of us to travel deeper, more meaningfully and more sustainably.

Championing creativity and seeking out diverse travel tales from its creative community has always been high on Corona's agenda - right after eliminating plastic from its supply chain. Which is why, on 8 March 2021, it launched its pioneering Female Fund, to award 50 women from around the world a full scholarship to Creator Circuit. A nourishing alternative to binge-watching boxsets, the platform is populated with hundreds of high-value video tutorials made for creators, by creators.

Committed to nurturing exceptional female talent and closing the gender gap that exists behind the camera, together Corona and the Creator Circuit are providing the Female Fund winners with VIP access and one-to-one mentoring from Creator Circuit Founders. Creators can connect with a community of like-minded creatives, seek out opportunities with brands like Corona, and develop their creative craft.

We understand the power of expanding horizons and forging connections through storytelling, which is why we've partnered with Corona to shine a spotlight on the scholarship winners and their work. The next generation of female creators is here. We chat to Bulgarian photographer and videographer Alexandra Karadzhova on channelling creative energy, coming up with thoughtful stories and the power of female creators to cover new ground.

Where are you from and what inspiration do you take from there?

I'm from Plovdiv, Bulgaria. It's the oldest city in Europe and was the 2019 European Capital of Culture. If I was to describe living here to someone, I'd say Bulgaria is like looking through a kaleidoscope - everyone can find the thing they're looking for. For me, I'm inspired by the diversity of its landscapes: natural vistas mixed with ancient historical cities, bohemian, hipster neighbourhoods mingling with mountainscapes... It's wild and tame at the same time, and that's what inspires me.

What sparks your creativity?

Stories that shake you to the core and music that gives you goosebumps. I believe that ideas and creativity in general are just di erent energies that come to you at certain times. It's up to you to make the most of them or let them go.

What have you learnt so far?

Part of the scholarship includes an annual subscription to Creator Circuit, which is like Netflix but for creative courses. You'll always find me watching tutorials, reading books or connecting with mentors.

As a whole, winning the scholarship has also helped me learn patience. Good things - ideas, projects, opportunities - take time to develop and I've definitely learned the value of that.

What do you hope to achieve with the scholarship?

Corona is supportive and open-minded as a brand, and it cares about the planet - I love that. You can see that in the projects it backs, like the stories created in collaboration with Chelsea Yamase, Emmett Sparling and Antoine Janssens. I want to soak up all of the knowledge from the Creator Circuit mentors and then graduate from the fund and work with them on meaningful projects. I'm very grateful to have been given the opportunity to be a part of the Corona Female Creator Fund because that's a step closer to achieving this goal.

Where would you like to shoot next?

I want to explore untraditional and remote locations, meeting the people who live there and sharing their stories. Places like Siberia, and the Nenets who live there, as well as Greenland and Guatemala. I also want to create something deep and meaningful in Bulgaria. I feel there's so much to tell that's never been shared before.

I'm going to Kyrgyzstan at the end of August. It definitely checks o the "remote" and "little-known" boxes and I'm excited to be going there for a work project.

What photography kit is in your SUITCASE?

I recently upgraded to a cinema rig, so I currently film with a Canon C200. An old film camera is also always in my carry-on. It helps capture all the special, in-between moments when you're shooting.

Finally, share the story behind one of your proudest pieces of work.

Since the beginning of 2021, I've been working on a short film, I Choose the Heart. It's definitely the most meaningful and personal project I've worked on, as it explores the feelings of being a female creator in a predominately male filmmaking industry. It plays on personal experiences where people underestimate your abilities as a female creative or lack trust that you can deliver a project. Yet, being a creator means you get to follow your own path despite the challenges. I Choose the Heart is a story of female independence, resilience and belief that any woman, anywhere, can take on anything.