Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

Read more

The closing and awards ceremony of the 5th SALAM International Children's and Youth Film Festival has been held at the Nizami Cinema Center.

The four-day festival was a true celebration of cinema, creativity and communication. This year, the festival brought together around 440 children and teenagers, representatives of the film industry, cultural figures, international guests and foreign delegations.

Participants enjoyed a packed programme featuring screenings of contemporary films from different countries, meetings with directors and actors, creative discussions, master classes and the practical CINEMARATHON programme. For many young participants, the festival was not only an opportunity to watch films but also a chance to experience what it is like to work behind the screen.

Final day: From "Akinak" to films created by young filmmakers

The final day of the festival opened with a competition screening of "Akinak", an Azerbaijani feature film directed by Elkhan Jafarov. The film was produced by Narimanfilm with the support of the Azerbaijan Republic Cinema Agency (ARKA).

Following the screening, the actors who played the leading roles met with young viewers. The participants asked questions about the making of the film, character development, the filming process and the actors'personal experiences.

The meeting was particularly engaging, with the discussion going far beyond a conventional question-and-answer session. The opportunity to speak directly with the film's cast became one of the highlights of the festival's final day.

Another programme highlight was the screening of "Between Two Stones", a short film by Ilkin Zafarli, a director and mentor of the festival. After the screening, the director spoke to the audience about the film's artistic concept and shared insights into the process of making short films.

Such meetings are an important part of SALAM. Here, a film does not end with its final frame — it becomes the starting point for discussion and analysis, as viewers ask questions, engage with the filmmakers and explore the message conveyed by the work.

Young filmmakers create their own films

CINEMARATHON traditionally holds a special place in the festival programme. Over several days, participants worked in teams and independently went through almost the entire filmmaking process — from developing an idea and writing a script to filming, editing and preparing their finished projects for screening.

On the final day, the young filmmakers completed their projects together with professional editors from Narimanfilm and members of the SALAM team.

Then came one of the most eagerly anticipated moments: their films were screened on the big screen.

The themes addressed in the films were serious and relevant. This year's CINEMARATHON theme was "A Stranger Among Your Own, One of Your Own Among Strangers." Through the language of cinema, participants explored bullying, loneliness, psychological pressure, social rejection, the search for one's place, mutual respect and acceptance of individuality.

The short films demonstrated not only the participants' creative potential but also their ability to address important social issues.

The organizers also highlighted the noticeable professional growth of participants who have attended SALAM more than once. They have become more confident in working with shot composition, dramaturgy, editing and visual storytelling, while also learning to distribute responsibilities more effectively and make collective creative decisions.

Once again, CINEMARATHON demonstrated that for young participants, cinema is not merely entertainment but a way to express their views and speak about issues that matter to their generation.

Main awards presented to young jury members' favourites

The festival reached its culmination with the official closing ceremony.

Azerbaijan Deputy Culture Minister Saadat Yusifova was the guest of honour at the event. Representatives of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministr, ARKA, the Nizami Cinema Center, figures from the film and cultural sectors, international guests, partners, mentors, volunteers and festival participants also attended the ceremony.

One of SALAM's distinctive features is that children and teenagers serve as the main jury members of the competition programme. They watch and discuss the films and decide which productions have made the strongest impression on them.

Following the results of the festival, the main award for Best Feature Film went to the Indonesian film "Tegar", directed by Anggi Frisca. The award was personally presented by Azerbaijan's Deputy Culture Minister Saadat Yusifova.

The Special Jury Prize was awarded to the Azerbaijani film "Akinak", directed by Elkhan Jafarov. The award was presented to the film's producer, Nariman Mammadov, by Turan Mammadli, acting director of the Nizami Cinema Center.

The Special Festival Organizers' Prize went to the Polish film "Oskar, Patka i Złoto Bałtyku" ("Oskar, Patka and the Baltic Gold"), directed by Magdaleny Nieć and Mariusza Paleja.

SALAM Film Festival Bids Farewell Until Next Year

At the end of the ceremony, festival General Manager Tamara Mammadova thanked everyone who contributed to the preparation and organisation of the anniversary edition of SALAM, including participants, international guests, representatives of government institutions, filmmakers, partners, mentors, editors, volunteers and the entire festival team.

Addressing the young participants, she delivered a phrase that became something of a motto for the festival's finale: "We are not saying 'goodbye' to you. We are saying 'salam' until next year."

Those words perhaps captured the atmosphere of the closing ceremony better than anything else.

The festival came to an end amid an atmosphere of friendship and strong emotions. The participants hugged, exchanged contact details, thanked their new friends and did not hide their tears.

Over the four days, many participants not only discovered contemporary cinema but also made friends from other countries, worked in creative teams and gained their first hands-on experience in filmmaking.

Festival's Journey Continues

The 5th anniversary SALAM International Children's and Youth Film Festival was organised by Narimanfilm.

The festival's main sponsor was PASHA Holding. The festival was held with the state support of the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan and ARKA.

The Nizami Cinema Center provided the venue for the festival, while Nine Senses Arts Center served as a special partner of the cultural and educational programme.

The organizers expressed their gratitude to all partners, government institutions, international guests, filmmakers, mentors, volunteers and participants who contributed to the success of the anniversary festival.

The fifth edition of SALAM has come to an end, but its story does not end here.

Participants are taking home new knowledge, their first professional skills, films they created themselves, new acquaintances and lasting friendships. For some of them, this festival may become the first step towards a future career in cinema.

SALAM is not saying goodbye to its participants. It is simply saying: see you next year!

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.