Baku Int'l Short Film Festival awards winners

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The Baku International Short Film Festival has awarded some of the best films selected for the festival, Azernews reports.

The 13th edition of the oldest film festival was held at the Nizami Cinema Center on November 11-15 with the support of the Culture Ministry.

Founded in 2004 by the Young Filmmakers Center, the film festival presents Oscar-nominated movies and some of the best cinema products recognized at the most influential film festivals, like the Cannes Film Festival, and Biennale Cinema.

The host of the evening, TV presenter Nigar Abil invited the festival director Fahruz Shamiyev to the stage as a keynote speaker.

In his remarks, Fahruz Shamiyev stressed that the festival screened 814 films from 79 countries, including 91 films for the local competition program.

By a decision of the selection committee, some 32 films were included in the international competition program, and 40 short films - in the local ones. These films competed for the Golden Pomegranate Award.

The films submitted to the festival were evaluated by the international and national jury which consists of cinematographers and cultural figures Giorgi Ovashvili(Georgia), Adila Khaibullina (Russia), Emrah Kilic (Turkiye), Mirsadig Agazada, Gunel Rzayeva, Ali Isa Jabbarov, Gismyat Rustamov, Aliya Dadashova, Rashad Alakbarov (Azerbaijan), head of the Culture Ministry's Audiovisual and Interactive Media Department, film director Rufat Hasanov, film director, screenwriter and producer Oleg Safaraliyev.

The winners of the International Competition are - Best Film-Techno-Mama by Lithuanian director Saulius Baradinskas, Best Documentary Film - The Sower of Stars by Spanish filmmaker Lois Patino, Best Animation Film - The Egret River by Wan-Ling Liu (Taiwan PRC), Best Film Director - The Moisture by Turan Haste (Turkiye), Best Documentary Director Eva and Ramona by Minka Jakerson ( Sweden), Best Animated Director - The awakening of the insects by French directors Stephanie Lansaque and Francois Leroy.

Special Jury Prize went to Marija Apcevska's film North Pole (North Macedonia), winners of the Asian Talents include Best Film-Night of the Universe by Iranian filmmakers Ramin Farzani and Parisa Sadaiazar, Best Film Director- Nazila Azizi (Afghanistan) who directed the film Noonn.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az.

Photo Credits: Vugar Imanov