On October 18-20, 2019, the 2nd ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival held in Baku with a view to contributing to the development of Azerbaijani animation.
This year’s festival was held with the support of The Azerbaijan Union of Filmmakers (key partner and sponsor) chaired by prominent director, screenwriter Rustam Ibragimbekov, Embassies of the Czech Republic and France in Azerbaijan, “Chinar Yayimlari” publishing, French Institute in Azerbaijan, and the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan.
The theme of 2nd ANIMAFILM was Czech animation. Czech animated films have been screened under the non-competition program of the festival. The poster of the festival was created by Czech animation director Filip Posivac.
The first day of the festival hosted a conference, which was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Azerbaijani animation, along with screenings of dozens of local and international animated films for children and adults.
For the next two days, as in the previous year, animation workshops were organized for children of different age groups. The workshops have been led by French and Greek animators. In the course of the festival, jury programs, presentations of Greek and Czech animation, competition programs and other events took place. This festival was the continuation of the 1st ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival (2018) which is an annual event aiming to develop animation art in Azerbaijan.
This year, a Children’s Jury was established at the festival, which was a novelty. The selection of child jury members was made by Elchin Hami Akhundov, a well-known animation director and honored art worker in Azerbaijan. According to the terms of the festival, the winner of the competition for the “Best animated film for children” has been selected by the five members of the children’s jury.
The slogan of ANIMAFILM 2019 is “a new look at tradition and development.” entries for this year’s festival were made via FilmFreeway, the largest international film festival platform.
More than 268 applications from 50 countries have submitted to the competition program of the festival. 54 films and screenplays from 25 countries entered the competition programs.
The winners of the competitions were announced on the last day of the festival, October 20, 2019:
“Papito”, the USA, directors: Sarika Persaud, Kenneth Rose
Best Original Screenplay for a Ahort Animated Film
“Blowing” Islamic Republic of Iran, authors: Mahammed Zare, Raana Vaezi
Audience Award
“Mother on a Tree” (1986), Azerbaijan, director: Firangiz Kurbanova
Only one film was submitted to the competition from Azerbaijan. For this reason, the selection committee had to nullify the award category for “Best Azerbaijani Animated Film”.
Masud Panachi, the laureate of the 1st ANIMAFILM Golden Boat Award, has been leading the international jury.
This year, the organizing committee of ANIMAFILM festival has rewarded both animation directors Frangiz Kurbanova and Elchin Hami Akhundov with Golden Boat Award for their invaluable contribution to Azerbaijani animation.
At the end of the festival, participants signed an open letter to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. In the letter the participants of the festival ask for higher education in the field of animation, as well as financial support for national animation. The open letter can be signed electronically here.
This year, a colorful catalog in both Azerbaijani and English languages with information about each contestant, as well as films and screenplays, has been published:
