Cinema Agency holds meeting with film director Hilal Baydarov

By Laman Ismayilova

A meeting has been held at the headquarters of the Azerbaijan Cinema Agency, operating under the Culture Ministry with the creative team of the film "Sermon to the Void", Azernews reports.

The meeting focused on the success of "Sermon to the Void" at the Venice International Film Festival and the international interest the film has generated. Possible future collaborations and efforts to promote Azerbaijani cinema on the global stage were also discussed.

At the end of the meeting, the film's director, Hilal Baydarov, was presented with a certificate of appreciation for his contributions to the development of Azerbaijani cinema.

The film "Sermon to the Void" by renowned Azerbaijani director Hilal Baydarov was showcased in the "Out of Competition Fiction" section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. The film received significant interest from both critics and audiences.

In terms of presenting Azerbaijani literature, worldview, and folklore to a global audience, the film holds great importance. Based on the works of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Muhammad Fuzuli, the film portrays lovers in search of the water of life, which is metaphorically interpreted as the search for the inner self.

The screenplay was written by Hilal Baydarov and Aysu Akcan, and the producer is Orkhan Fikratoglu.

A joint production of Azerbaijani, Mexican, and Turkish filmmakers, the film stars Huseyn Nasirov, Maryam Naghiyeva, Rana Asgarova, Elshan Abbasov, and Orkhan Isgandarli in the lead roles.