XVI BAKU INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CLOSED – AWARDS

The closing and award ceremony of the 16th Baku International Film Festival was held at the Nizami Cinema Center on December 9. The festival was organized within the framework of “Baku Cinema Breeze 25” at the initiative of the Center for Young Cinematographers, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Cinema Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Representatives of the Ministry of Culture, members of the international jury, professionals in the field of cinema, and figures of culture and art attended the closing ceremony. Festival director Fehruz Shamiyev said in his speech that this year’s festival was remembered for a number of important moments and interest in the project is growing every year. He emphasized: “We are very happy to see your love for cinema. As a team, we are inspired by this energy. Organizing the festival is not an easy task, but we did it in five days. I would like to express my gratitude to my team.”
Winners of the 16th Baku International Film Festival

International Debut Feature Film Competition:
Best Film – “Lesson Learned” / Director: Balint Szimler / Hungary
Best Director – “Karst” / Director: Suiyi Yang / China
Best Screenplay – “Gardens, Roots, Passions” / Screenwriter: Ferit Karahan. Director: Sunay Terzioglu / Turkey
Best Cinematography – “Field Watchman” / Director of Photography: Morteza Gafouri. Director: Seyed Mohamad Reza Xeradmandan/ Iran
Special Jury Prize – “The Grasshopper’s Kiss” / Director: Elmar Imanov / Germany, Italy, Luxembourg
International Short Film Competition:
Best Feature Film – With Two Pretexts / Director: Samah El Kadi / Lebanon
Best Documentary Film – When the Earth Runs / Director: Frederico Lobo / Portugal
Best Animated Film – Profitable Place / Director: Alex Maximov / Belarus
Best Feature Film Director – Performance / Director: Balint Kenyeres / Hungary, France
Special Jury Mention:
Last Sunday in May / Director: Alexandro Bordie / Luxembourg
Ballet Dancers’ Village / Director: Fatih Diren / Turkey
“Asia’s Got Talent” Competition:
Best Film – The Winner / Director: Mohammad Reza Nurmandipour/ Iran
Jury Award - Deer Tooth / Director: Saif Hammash / Palestine
Jury Special Mention - A Day in the Life / Director: Ye Ouyang / China
Local Competition Winners:
Best Feature Film - “Early Feelings” / Director: Nurlan Hasanli
Best Director - “In the Gorge” / Director: Abulfaz Iskenderov
Best Documentary - “Palaces of Memory” / Director: Matlab Mukhtarov
Best Student Film - “The Court” / Director: Orkhan Babayev
Jury Diploma - “Loca Tacentia” / Director: Rena Ahmadova
Jury Special Mention - Vusala Gasimova, Director of Photography for the film “I Returned” / Director: Mahammad Mammadov
Jury Special Mention - Nigar Suleyman, Director of Original Music and Cinematography
for her fruitful work in the field”

At the event, the well-known director and actress Niki Karimi was awarded the “Golden Pomegranate” award for her contribution to world cinema.

Two of the winning films, “With Two Pretexts” and “Early Feelings”, were screened at the ceremony.
This year, the festival’s supporters are the Azerbaijan Cinematographers Union, Nizami Cinema Center, “British Council”, “Shahdagfilm”, the National Council of Youth Organizations of Azerbaijan, “Cinelab”, “DOST TV”, and the Yunis Emre Institute.
Trend News Agency, Telegraf Media Holding, “Kinoyazar” website, and “KinoBiz” platform are the media partners of the festival.