By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The Culture Ministry has announced a competition of projects for short feature, documentary and animation films.

The competition "Great Return" aims at supporting talented filmmakers. The contest focuses on promoting the activities of state studios and independent production centers.

The main goal of the festival is to produce films about the Great Victory in the Azerbaijan's Patriotic War.

The theme of the competition is the heroic struggle of National Army for the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty. 

The competition is held in three categories: short feature film (timing - up to 30 minutes), short documentary film (timing - up to 30 minutes), short animated film (timing - up to 10 minutes).

The contest consists of several stages: application acceptance, artistic selection, pitching, financing of the winning film projects, production of the films.

Application should be sent to the e-mail address [email protected] before March 22, 2021.

For more information, please visit the Culture Ministry's website or contact: 

(012) 404 04 85 (weekdays 10: 00-17: 00)

Azerbaijani cinema has come to be an internationally recognized modern art enjoying a huge popularity and recognition at international film festivals, which frequently award the national films.

Over the past years, more than 300 films and 1,200 documentaries, as well as hundreds of cartoons were filmed.

Shortly after the Lumiere brothers from France invented cinematography, an apparatus for making motion pictures in 1895, Russian photographer and cameraman Alexandre Michon began shooting motion pictures that depicted everyday life in Baku. 

The first short, silent film of Azerbaijani cinematography "You are caught" was shown in Baku on August 2, 1898. The audience witnessed a historical event - the birth of Azerbaijani cinematography.

To honor this historical day, the national leader Heydar Aliyev signed an order on December 18, 2000, to declare August 2 as professional holiday of cinema workers – Day of Azerbaijani Cinema.

At present, it is planned to carry out systemic reforms to develop and modernize cinema art in Azerbaijan.