Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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The Azerbaijan Filmmakers Union has hosted a meeting of members of the Azerbaijan Guild of Film Scholars and Film Critics, AzerNEWS reports.

The meeting focused on determining the nominees and discussing the voting process for the Azerbaijan Guild of Film Critics and Film Scholars Awards, which are scheduled to be presented for the second time this year.

As in the previous year, a jury comprising 17 film critics evaluated feature-length and short fiction films, as well as documentary films that were either screened in cinemas across Azerbaijan or participated in film festivals during 2025.

Over the course of two months, the jury viewed a total of 51 films, including 16 short documentaries, 13 short fiction films, 16 feature-length fiction films, and six feature-length documentaries.

Based on the evaluation results, the selection committee shortlisted seven feature-length fiction films, six feature-length documentaries, six short documentaries, and six short fiction films across 12 award categories.

The complete shortlist of nominees for the Azerbaijan Guild of Film Critics and Film Scholars Awards is available on the official website of the Azerbaijan Union of Filmmakers.

Founded in 2012, the Azerbaijan Filmmakers Union (AUF) focuses on the development of local cinema as an integral part of national culture and world cinema.

Azerbaijani cinema has come to be an internationally recognized modern art, enjoying 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, have been filmed.

The Azerbaijan Filmmakers Union is a member of the Confederation of Unions of Cinematographers of the CIS and Baltic States.

The Azerbaijan Guild of Film Scholars and Film Critics is a professional organization established on 24 January 2025 at the initiative of Azerbaijani film critics and film scholars to strengthen film criticism, film studies, and the analytical development of Azerbaijan's cinema industry.

The Guild aims to promote Azerbaijani cinema at international film festivals, support the professional development of film scholars and critics, and encourage higher artistic standards in national film production.

A jury of 17 film critics and scholars evaluates films released in cinemas or screened at festivals in Azerbaijan across a range of professional categories.