Culture minister highlights main challenges and objectives in film industry

Cinema Forum on "Azerbaijani Cinema - 125: reality, challenges and objectives" has started at the Heydar Aliyev Center.

The event is jointly organized by the Culture Ministry and the Heydar Aliyev Center in partnership with The Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, Azernews reports.

The forum has brought together cultural and art figures from Azerbaijan and other countries and turned into a platform for discussing the modern challenges in cinema.

The Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli welcomed the forum participants.

"We hope that the Cinema Forum will be remembered with interesting discussions. The forum sheds light on the development of the national cinema. The main purpose of our gathering here today is to discuss the main challenges and the perspectives of Azerbaijani film industry. I would like to note that more forums related to other cultural fields are expected to take place in the country this year within the celebration of the 100th anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. Moreover, the Development of Cultural Strategy will be put forward as well," said Adil Karimli.

Adil Karimli recalled that Azerbaijani cinema started to take its first steps in 1898, and left a great legacy after passing through 125 years of rich and turbulent path.

Founded in 1923, Azerbaijan Film Studio created a broad basis for the systematic development of national cinematography.

For decades, numerous screen works produced by local cinematographers contributed to the formation of the worldview of the Azerbaijani people.

The minister stressed the role of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in the development of the Azerbaijani cinema and all art fields.

The formation of the normative and legal basis of the national cinematography started in 1993 under his leadership and the State Film Fund was established on December 22 of the same year.

A historical step such as the establishment of Azerbaijan Cinema Day is the result of the Great Leader's invaluable services in this field. For many years, Soviet cinema day was celebrated as the national cinema day in Azerbaijan.

The history of Azerbaijani cinema is calculated from 1916. However, Great Leader Heydar Aliyev put an end to this injustice against the national cinema history.

By the order of Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev in 2000, August 2 was declared as a day for the Azerbaijani cinema.

The State Program for the Development of Azerbaijani Cinema for 2008-2018, Decree of March 1, 2019 "On Some Measures Related to the Development of Azerbaijani Cinematography" shows a great attention paid by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the development of the Azerbaijani cinema art.

In recent years, the participation and awarding of films produced by Azerbaijan in the world's most prestigious international film festivals, as well as the increase in the amount of investment in film production, indicate the qualitative new development of the national cinematography.

In addition, the concept of developing film art is reflected in the Action Plan of the "Socio-economic Development Strategy of the Azerbaijani Republic for 2022-2026", approved by the presidential decree dated July 22, 2022.

All these steps taken by the country's leadership in the future will improve the implementation of state policy in the field of cinematography, modernize the local production and broadcasting infrastructure, ensure international competitiveness and participation in many international joint projects, film production, as well as the internationalization of Azerbaijani cinematography experience by joining international platforms.

It will be of great importance in terms of its recognition at the level, as well as in terms of providing a new economic activity and stimulation in this area.

In this regard, it is worth noting that, as a result of the care shown by the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva, Azerbaijani cinema has been promoted at numerous international festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival.

The Culture Minister Adil Karimli emphasized that the establishment of the Film Agency laid the foundation for a new stage in the development of Azerbaijani film art.

The Culture Ministry in partnership with other relevant institutions, has completed all the necessary works required for the Film Agency to start operating.

Azerbaijan Film Agency will provide an opportunity for Azerbaijani cinema to participate in many new international joint projects like Evroimage online platform.

The Agency is expected to bring new experiences to the national cinematography and increase the economic activity of the audiovisual field.

In his speech, Adil Karimli noted that Azerbaijani cinematography is entering a recovery phase in terms of creativity, which will give impetus to the renewed interest in the national cinema inside and outside the country.

The main goal of the forum is to preserve the rich legacy of Azerbaijani cinema history, clarify the main issues in the cinema field and discuss together the steps that can be taken in the direction of the formation of codcompetitive cinema.

The Culture Minister underlined that there is a great need to make radical changes in order to face new challenges, to promote the private sector as well as to reduce the dependence on the state.

"We are sure that you have already established your activities very successfully as part of these changes and challenges. There is a need to accelerate and improve this process simply by coming together as a single team," he concluded.

The two-day forum continued with panel discussions.