Leyla Aliyeva Attends International Animation Day Celebration

On 27 October, a special screening of Azerbaijani animated films was held at the Nizami Cinema Center to celebrate International Animation Day.

The event was attended by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Founder and Head of the IDEA Public Union; Rashid Aghamaliyev, Chairperson of the Azerbaijan Animation Association and CEO of ANIMAFILM; Elchin Akhundov, recipient of an Individual Presidential Scholarship of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Honored Cultural Worker and animation director; as well as other public figures.

The event was organized by the Azerbaijan Animation Association and ANIMAFILM, with the support of the Azerbaijan Cinema Agency (ARKA) and the Nizami Cinema Center.

The screening welcomed children from the DOST Center for Inclusive Development and Creativity, the Azerbaijan Children Public Union, the Umid Yeri Children’s Shelter, and Orphanages No. 1, 2, and 3. In total, the event brought together more than 200 attendees.

The screening program featured two episodes of the animated series Izzy and Kitty (“Chefs” and “Game Developers”), two episodes of Money Talks (“Debit Cards” and “Credit Cards”), the first episode of the second season of Gobustan, as well as the animated short films Boom-Boom, Earth and Moon, Under the Same Rain, and Soyuz: Graviton.

As part of the event, interactive games for children were organized by Aynur Zarrintaj, director and founder of the Ritual Theatre and Creative Laboratory. Merchandise inspired by the children’s fairy tale Kiko and Dido was also presented.

Following the screening, the audience had the opportunity to meet the filmmakers and take part in discussions about the animated films and the creative process behind their production.