{"id":10742,"date":"2026-05-19T10:06:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T06:06:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anima.az\/?p=10742"},"modified":"2026-05-19T19:31:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T15:31:04","slug":"9-animafilm-concluded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anima.az\/en\/2026\/05\/9-animafilm-concluded\/","title":{"rendered":"The 9th ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival has Concluded"},"content":{"rendered":"
Bax\u0131\u015f say\u0131:<\/span> 30<\/span><\/div>

The 9th ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival<\/strong> took place from May 13\u201317, 2026, at the Nizami Cinema Center and the Fluxus Space gallery.<\/p>\n

The festival was organized by the Azerbaijan Animation Association<\/strong> and ANIMAFILM LLC<\/strong>, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan<\/strong>, the Ministry of Science and Education Republic of Azerbaijan<\/strong>, the Cinema Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan<\/strong>\u00a0(ARKA)<\/strong>, and the Creative Center<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

More than 1,000 viewers attended the international festival, whose main theme was \u201cSea,\u201d and watched over 40 films from 20 countries. At this festival, where creativity met compassion, all proceeds from ticket sales will be used for the publication of the children\u2019s book Isi, Piti and the Seal<\/em><\/strong>, intended for young readers.<\/p>\n

Within the framework of the festival, the ANIMAFILM<\/em> animation magazine<\/strong> was published. The first issue featured engaging interviews, announcements of new projects, information about new Azerbaijani animated films representing the country at international festivals, comics, as well as the program and information about the films included in the 9th ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival.<\/p>\n

The festival consisted of four sections: Competition, Out-of-Competition, Professional, and Observer programs.<\/p>\n

A total of 437 animated films from more than 60 countries were submitted to the festival. A selection committee consisting of nine members chose 31 films representing 20 different countries for the official competition program. The international jury members \u2014 Aynur Zarrintaj<\/strong> (Azerbaijan), Anna B\u00e1ra Stejskalov\u00e1<\/strong> (Czech Republic), Elene Tavadze<\/strong> (Georgia), Elnara Nasirli<\/strong> (Azerbaijan), Masud Alisoy<\/strong> (Azerbaijan), and Nandan Gautam<\/strong> (India\/Azerbaijan) \u2014 selected the winners of the competition program. The winners were announced during the Closing Ceremony.<\/p>\n

On May 13, the opening ceremony<\/strong> of the 9th ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival took place at the Nizami Cinema Center. The main event of the opening ceremony was the premiere screenings of three episodes of the animated series Izzy and Piti<\/em> (dir. Rashid Aghamaliyev)<\/strong> and the animated film Porridge Monster<\/em> (dir. Izabela Pluci\u0144ska)<\/strong>. The festival\u2019s official trailer Sea<\/em> (dir. Petre Tomadze)<\/strong>, as well as the short animated films Sea Voyage<\/em> (dir. Elchin Akhundov)<\/strong>, Boom-Boom<\/em> (dirs. Nazrin Aghamaliyeva and Rashid Aghamaliyev)<\/strong>, and Earth and Moon<\/strong><\/em> (dir. Pavel Kim)<\/strong>, were also screened.<\/p>\n

Speakers at the opening ceremony included festival director, director-producer, and Chairman of the Azerbaijan Animation Association Rashid Aghamaliyev<\/strong>; Director General of the Cinema Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ARKA) Rashad Azizov<\/strong>; festival executive director Sarkhan Najiyev<\/strong>; Honored Cultural Worker, animation director, and Presidential Scholarship recipient Elchin Akhundov<\/strong>; Teoman Sultan<\/strong>, the voice actor of Izzy in the Izzy and Piti<\/em> animated series; ecologist Zulfu Farajli;<\/strong> and the Naz Girls<\/strong> vocal ensemble.<\/p>\n

More than 20 events were held during the following days of the festival. Participants included Baku residents, international guests, children from the DOST Inclusive Development and Creativity Center<\/strong>, the Thalassemia Cente<\/strong>r, Educational Complex No. 132\u2013134<\/strong>, Secondary Schools No. 31, 41, and 43<\/strong>, and students of Baku Oxford School<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

As part of the competition program<\/strong>, screenings and discussions with filmmakers were held at the Nizami Cinema Center in the categories \u201cBest Short Animated Film \u2013 GRAND PRIX,\u201d \u201cBest Short Animated Film for Children,\u201d \u201cBest TV Animated Series,\u201d and \u201cBest Azerbaijani Short Animated Film.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Professional Program<\/strong> included the 2nd ANIMAFILM International Pitching Competition<\/strong> and the \u201cANIMAFILM School: Stop Motion\u201d workshops<\/strong>. Jury members of the pitching competition \u2014 Polina Kniazeva<\/strong> (screenwriter, producer), Orkhan Behbid<\/strong> (OB FILM LLC), Shahin Aliyev<\/strong> (Dynamic Box Studio LLC), and Ramil Alakbarov<\/strong> (KINOBIZ LLC) \u2014 watched presentations of local and international projects together with the audience.<\/p>\n

Within the workshop program, stop-motion animation directors B\u00e1ra Anna Stejskalov\u00e1<\/strong> (Czech Republic), Elene Tavadze<\/strong> (Georgia), Irida Zongha<\/strong> (Netherlands), Ilkin Zafarli<\/strong> (Azerbaijan), and Galib Baghirov<\/strong> (Azerbaijan) introduced students to the fundamentals of stop-motion animation, and participants created their own puppets.<\/p>\n

The Out-of-Competition Program<\/strong> featured screenings of the Iszzy and Piti<\/em> animated series episodes Divers<\/em>, Painters<\/em>, and Chefs<\/em>; OSCAR and BAFTA films presented with the support of the Embassy of Canada in Azerbaijan and the British Council; as well as animated films by stop-motion directors B\u00e1ra Anna Stejskalov\u00e1 (Czech Republic), Elene Tavadze (Georgia), Irida Zongha (Netherlands), and Ilkin Zafarli (Azerbaijan).<\/p>\n

As part of the Accompanying Program<\/strong>, Dilazbar Huseynzada<\/strong> held the masterclass \u201cCreate Yourself: Draw Isi and Piti on an Eco Bag,\u201d<\/strong> while creative meetings with local and international animation filmmakers were organized at \u015eekerci Cafer Erol<\/strong> and Almond Cake & Bakery<\/strong> caf\u00e9s.<\/p>\n

On May 17, the closing ceremony<\/strong> of the 9th ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival took place at the Nizami Cinema Center. Speakers included festival director, director-producer, and Chairman of the Azerbaijan Animation Association Rashid Aghamaliyev<\/strong>; Director General of the Azerbaijan Republic Cinema Agency (ARKA) Rashad Azizov<\/strong>; festival executive director Sarkhan Najiyev<\/strong>; and Teoman Sultan<\/strong>, the voice actor of Isi in the Izzy and Piti<\/em> animated series.<\/p>\n

At the award ceremony, jury members Anna B\u00e1ra Stejskalov\u00e1<\/strong> (Czech Republic), Elene Tavadze<\/strong> (Georgia), Lesli Grey<\/strong> (curator of the Var Yox platform), Johannes Kirpestein<\/strong> (Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Turan Mammadli<\/strong> (Acting Director of the Nizami Cinema Center), as well as pitching competition jury members Polina Kniazeva<\/strong>, Orkhan Behbid<\/strong>, Shahin Aliyev<\/strong>, and Ramil Alakbarov<\/strong> announced the winners.<\/p>\n

The ceremony was attended by animation professionals, representatives of the film industry, and J\u0119drzej Jakubowski<\/strong> (Attach\u00e9 of the Political and Economic Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland). At the end of the event, the Chefs<\/em> episode of the Izzy and Piti<\/em> animated series was screened, and the audience applauded the festival team members \u2014 Gulyaz Ismayil<\/strong> (Education Programs and Guest Manager), Tati Sattar<\/strong> (PR Manager), Zumrud Ismayil<\/strong> (Project Manager), Nazrin Akhundova<\/strong> (Festival Designer), Jale Hajiyeva<\/strong> (Graphic Designer), Firuza Mahmudova<\/strong> (SMM Manager), Deniz Mustafazade<\/strong> (Festival Assistant), Chichek Bayramli<\/strong> (Videographer), and Kseniya Shirini<\/strong> (Photographer), Bahar Zeynalli<\/strong> (moderator), Marat Khairov<\/strong> (film technician), Gulshan Huseynova<\/strong> (text editor), Faig Aliyev<\/strong> (ANIMAFILM Magazine’s designer), Vamig Babayev<\/strong> (accountant)<\/span>.<\/p>\n

The winners of the 9th ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival are as follows:<\/strong><\/p>\n