(MENAFN- AzerNews)
The 15th Baku International film Festival will take place from
October 4-8, Azernews reports.
The festival is organized by the Young Cinematographers Center
with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the Cinema
Agency.
The project is part of the Baku Cinema Breeze festival. This
major event will also feature prominent festivals such as the
DokuBaku International Documentary Film Festival, the Animafilm
International Animation Festival, and the Ata Turk World
International Animation Film Festival.
The opening ceremony of the Baku International Film Festival
will take place on October 5 at 19:00 at the Nizami Cinema
Center.
Official representatives from the Ministry of Culture, embassy
members, jury members of the international competition, as well as
cultural and artistic figures, will be present.
This year, 79 films from 26 countries (including Germany,
France, Italy, the UK, Korea, China, India, Colombia, Russia,
Turkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Moldova,
Croatia, Iran, and others) will be screened at the Nizami Cinema
Center over five days starting from 11:00. Admission is free.
This year, the festival introduces a feature film competition.
The international competition features debut feature-length
narrative films and short films. The national competition includes
25 short films, both narrative and documentary, as well as social
video clips. A separate nomination allows students to compete.
The international jury for feature films will evaluate the
entries with renowned directors Gusein Mekhtiev (Azerbaijan),
Siddiq Barmak (Afghanistan), and Mahmut Fazil Joskun (Turkiye).
The jury for domestic films will include Zaur Gasimly, Irada
Gezhalova, Nasimi Aliyev, and Can Ozbatur (Turkiye). Short
international films will be judged by directors Ismail Monsef
(Iran), Evgeny Maizel (Russia), and Teymur Hajiyev
(Azerbaijan).
The finalists of the "Asian Talents" competition will be
evaluated by Eldar Yoldashev (Uzbekistan) and Zumra Erturk
(Turkiye). The main prize of the festival is the "Golden
Pomegranate."
Additionally, special awards and diplomas will be presented to
winners in certain categories. The festival will also feature
non-competitive programs, including "Our Language," which showcases
films made in the Azerbaijani language by compatriots living in
various countries around the world.
As a result of the collaboration between the Baku International
Film Festival and the British Council, a special screening of BAFTA
nominees will be held annually during the festival.
This year will also see a presentation by TRT Cinema Director
Faruk Gun, discussions on "Co-production of Films," the premiere of
the Azerbaijani film "Coal," as well as masterclasses and talks
with authors following the screenings of domestic and foreign
films.
Founded in 2004 by the Young Cinematographers Center, the
festival previously operated under the name "Start."
The Baku International Film Festival is the longest-running
festival in the country and over the years has become a venue for
films that have received awards and acclaim at the Cannes, Venice,
and Berlin Film Festivals, as well as at the Oscars.
The festival aims to bring together filmmakers and expand its
audience in the coming years. It is conducted with the support of
the Nizami Cinema Center, the AzerbaijanFilm Studio, the State Film
Fund, the British Council, and the Azerbaijan Producers Guild.
Media partners of the event are Azernews, Trend, Day
and Milli.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews' staff journalist, follow her on
Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr
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