Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

Read more

The 9th DokuBaku International Documentary Film Festival has commenced at the Nizami Cinema Center, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijan's first independent documentary film festival traditionally uncovers hidden stories, questions dominant narratives, and creates a space for meaningful dialogue.

The festival program includes thematic competitions, panel discussions, workshops, and special events.

The international platform DokuBaku brings together filmmakers, thinkers, and audiences from various countries, contributing to the development of the local documentary film scene and strengthening intercultural exchange.

At the festival's opening, Rashad Azizov, Head of the Azerbaijan Film Agency, and Afag Yusifli, Manager of International Projects at the Azerbaijan Film-Makers Union, delivered welcoming speeches, congratulating the organizers and participants.

Director Imam Hasanov outlined that the festival places special emphasis on supporting young talents and independent filmmakers, encouraging bold creative experiments.

Furthermore, the audience watched the feature-length documentary "My Home" by director Seyran Mahmudoglu.

DokuBaku is an annual international documentary film festival held in Baku, Azerbaijan, featuring a curated selection of documentary films from across the globe while also supporting local filmmakers.

Founded in 2017, it is the first independent documentary festival in Azerbaijan, with a focus on promoting cultural exchange, storytelling, and tackling significant global and local issues through the medium of film.

This year, the 9th DokuBaku received over 200 submissions from around 60 countries, of which 57 films were selected for participation in the competition programs across various categories.

The films compete in several categories: DOKUTAM – Best Feature Documentary, DOKUECHO – Best Film About Nature, DOKUMUSE – Best Film About Music and Rhythm, DOKUBOX – Best Debut Documentary, DOKUKIDS – Best Children's Documentary, DOKUSHORTS – Best International Short Documentary.

The works will be evaluated by both international and local experts.