Filmmakers' Union launches feature film lab

The Azerbaijan Filmmakers' Union, in partnership with the Institut Français Azerbaïdjan and the French Embassy in Baku, has announced the international "East-West Kino Lab" program for the development of feature film projects, AzerNEWS reports.

The program aims to help both emerging and experienced Azerbaijani filmmakers develop their feature film projects to international standards, providing professional mentorship and training to prepare them for global platforms. Selected participants will have the opportunity to structure and strengthen their projects, bringing them to a presentation-ready stage. Through masterclasses and one-on-one mentoring sessions, projects will receive professional guidance throughout development and presentation phases, while participants will also gain valuable networking opportunities with international film professionals.

Applications are open to Azerbaijani producers and directors working in teams on feature film projects at the development stage. The screenwriter of the selected project may participate as a listener. Directors must hold the copyright for their projects, with the screenwriter's consent. Since the program will be conducted in English, the presenting team (director and producer) must be proficient in English (at least one member), and all submitted materials must be in English.

The one-week development program is designed for filmmakers with feature-length projects who already have a logline, synopsis, and treatment. During the training, participants will receive intensive lessons and one-on-one guidance to refine their loglines, synopses, and treatments, while also developing skills for pitching and presenting their projects.

Interested participants should submit all information in English as a single PDF file (named after the applicant) to [email protected] with the subject line "East-West Kino Lab."

The application deadline is March 5, and the training will take place from April 8–14. Projects that succeed in the pitching stage will receive technical, financial, and organizational support to further their development.

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, were filmed.

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