DokuBaku screens some of best documentaries from 33 countries

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

DokuBaku Film Festival (IDFF) has been held in Baku, Azernews reports.

Each year the festival presents a series of films by master documentarists, whose names are well-known all over the world, and whose works have become a high standard in the sector.

The festival's director Imam Hasanov welcomed the guests at the opening ceremony.

The international and local jury was introduced to the audience.

Among them were a winner of numerous international awards, film director Sergei Dvortsevoy, Azerbaijani writer, playwright, and director Ismayil Iman, Managing and Artistic Director of FIPADOC Christine Camdessus, Azerbaijani producer Leyla Dostalizada, Romanian writer and director Bogdan Muresanu, Azerbaijani director and screenwriter Asif Rustamov, Iranian filmmaker Reza Siami, Bulgarian journalist, screenwriter, and director Emil Spahiyski, a promoter of independent cinema in Azerbaijan Rashad Shirinov, Head of the Culture Ministry's Audiovisual and Interactive Media Department Rufat Hasanov.

The opening ceremony was attended by many international and local filmmakers and producers who will present their films throughout the festival including Pawel Lozinski, Helmut Dosantos, Agnieszka Mankiewicz, Matlab Mukhtarov, Nihad Isa, Amil Amal, and Ilkin Yusif.

Next, the audience was presented with Maria Arlamovsky's film Robolov (Austria).

Around 65 documentaries from 33 countries were screened as part of the festival devoted to the theme "Revolution Against Evolution" (Re?MC2VOLUTiON/OFF).

This year's program contained films made by both aspiring and experienced directors.

The films were presented in the following categories: Best Feature Documentary, No-main competition, Best International and Local Short Documentary, Out of Competition, DokuKids, and DokuUA.

For the first time in the history of the festivals held in Azerbaijan, over 40 percent of films selected by the festival were directed by women filmmakers. The film festival aroused great interest among the audience.