“THE IZZAT CINEMA AWARD” WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR FEMALE FILMMAKERS – Azerbaijan

Aforementioned award will be presented with the official partnership of the Azerbaijan Union of Filmmakers which will be supported by the Azad Mirzajanzadeh Development Program, the Young Filmmakers Association, and the Guild of Azerbaijani Film Critics and Scholars. The award was founded by Afag Yusifli, a filmmaker and the international relations and projects manager of the Azerbaijan Union of Filmmakers.

Named in the honor of Izzat Orujova, the first national film actress of Azerbaijan, the award aims to enhance the role and representation of women in Azerbaijani cinema. For the first time in the country, this award brings women’s issues to the professional film stage and introduces a new initiative by presenting a special award specifically for females in the film industry.

The project also carries symbolic significance by being dedicated to her — not only the first Azerbaijani film actress but also prominent chemist – thus highlighting her historical legacy. The presentation of this award offers a fresh perspective on strengthening the position of women in the film industry and encouraging their professional contributions.

As part of the project, a professional jury will evaluate the women’s segment of the Azerbaijani cinema from several perspectives to determine the winners. A specially designed award and cash prizes will be presented in front of an audience. Despite the fact that Azerbaijan granted women the right to vote in 1918 — a first in the East — and that Azerbaijani cinema has a 127-year history, female filmmakers in cinema still remain under-recognized and underrepresented.

This award highlights that issue and proposes solutions. By being named after Izzat Orujova, the award once again brings attention to women and women-centered topics in cinema. Accomplished authors are publicly recognized as winners.

It is worth noting that this project is one of the winners of the Azad Mirzajanzadeh Development Program, and in the upcoming weeks, further details — including the jury members, award categories, and the date of the ceremony — will be shared publicly.

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Tue Steen Müller
Tue Steen Müller

Müller, Tue Steen
Documentary Consultant and Critic, DENMARK

Worked with documentary films for more than 20 years at the Danish Film Board, as press officer, festival representative and film consultant/commissioner. Co-founder of Balticum Film and TV Festival, Filmkontakt Nord, Documentary of the EU and EDN (European Documentary Network).
Awards: 2004 the Danish Roos Prize for his contribution to the Danish and European documentary culture. 2006 an award for promoting Portuguese documentaries. 2014 he received the EDN Award “for an outstanding contribution to the development of the European documentary culture”. 2016 The Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania. 2019 a Big Stamp at the 15th edition of ZagrebDox. 2021 receipt of the highest state decoration, Order of the Three Stars, Fourth Class, for the significant contribution to the development and promotion of Latvian documentary cinema outside Latvia. In 2022 he received an honorary award at DocsBarcelona’s 25th edition having served as organizer and programmer since the start of the festival.
From 1996 until 2005 he was the first director of EDN (European Documentary Network). From 2006 a freelance consultant and teacher in workshops like Ex Oriente, DocsBarcelona, Archidoc, Documentary Campus, Storydoc, Baltic Sea Forum, Black Sea DocStories, Caucadoc, CinéDOC Tbilisi, Docudays Kiev, Dealing With the Past Sarajevo FF as well as programme consultant for the festivals Magnificent7 in Belgrade, DOCSBarcelona, Verzio Budapest, Message2Man in St. Petersburg and DOKLeipzig. Teaches at the Zelig Documentary School in Bolzano Italy.

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