Int'l Baku tourism film festival due in fall
By Nigar Orujova
The First Baku International Tourism Film Festival (BITFF) will be held in Azerbaijan in fall, the Culture and Tourism Ministry has said.
The non-profit cultural event, organized by the Ministry, aims to promote films on tourism and to stimulate the development of domestic and international tourism, as well as to encourage the movies' authors. The event will also draw the attention of the world community to Azerbaijan's tourism potential.
A press conference on the festival involving Alexander Kammel, head of the International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals, was held in Baku on Monday.
"Through the festival, the films may attract an international audience," the Ministry cinematography department's films promotion and registration sector head, Yusif Sheykhov, said at the news conference.
According to Sheykhov, the festival, which is to be held annually, is expected to take place in November.
Movies will be apprised by an international jury consisting of cinematographers, as well as travel and tourism experts.
It is also planned to hold the festival not only in cinema, but also in the open air, which will attract more audience, Sheykhov believes.
The Ministry is to announce a contest for the festival's logo soon, Sheykhov noted.
Alexander Kammel, who was invited to take part in the Baku festival's preparation and conduct, said, "Soon we will be able to watch Azerbaijani films in various international festivals, these films will help us to know more about Azerbaijan, about the Azerbaijani people, culture and traditions."
Besides the contests and non-competition screening, the festival program will include workshops, discussions and experience exchange among the movie authors, tourism experts and media representatives.
The festival's films must be in a number of categories, including cultural tourism, nature tourism and ecotourism, commercial tourism, sport tourism, marine tourism, tours and expeditions. However, there is no restriction on film length.
The BITFF's official languages are Azerbaijani, Russian and English.
After the film authors confirm their participation and processing, the films and the number of participating states will be defined.
The festival's official webpage, http://www.bitff.az, which has all the information on the festival and application terms, was presented during the conference.