Azerbaijan to shoot first full-length animation

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

A full-length animated film will be produced for the first time in Azerbaijan.

Speaking about the upcoming project, the head of the Culture Ministry's Audiovisual and Interactive Media Department, Rufat Aliyev, stressed the importance of the production of more films for children in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

Rufat Aliyev pointed out the involvement of new specialists in this field.

"At present, there are about 20 professionals in the field of animation in our country. Currently, preparations are underway for the presentation of a full-length animated film" Garingulu "and relevant work is being done in this direction," said Aliyev.

Rufat Aliyev noted that Azerbaijani cinema is currently in transition and new steps have been taken to develop the animation field in accordance with national and international practices.

Notably, the creation of animated films in Azerbaijan began in the 1930s.

In 1933, the "Azerbaijanfilm" studio carried out preparation for making this kind of cinema in advance and brought materials from Moscow.

During the shooting of documentary films "Lokbatan" and "The Symphony" (directed by B. Pumpyanski) they used technical animation.

And the instruction film "Cat" was fully animated. Thus, the film was considered the first work making cartoons in Azerbaijan.

The film was demonstrated on the screens of the Soviet Union until 1938. After the release of the film, a group of initiators in the studio for the first time decided to make an animated film.

The theme for the film was taken from Azerbaijani folk tales. A. Popov wrote the script. The scenario called "Unluckiness of Abbas" was directed by E. Dikaryov.

Nowadays, animation in Azerbaijan is continuing its development with great success.

In 2013, only two to three animation films were screened in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's first national animation film "Jirtdan and Tapagoz" made in 3D format was released in 2012.

In 2018, the first International Festival of Animation Art (ANIMAFILM) was successfully held in Baku.

Over 80 applications from 22 countries were submitted for participation in the festival.

Among them were films from France, the U.S., Iran, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, Spain, Japan, etc.

Thematic evenings, seminars and master classes, children's programs, and other events were held as part of the festival.