CINEMO Int'l Mobile Film Festival awarded winners in Baku

Films shot on mobile phones can be just as impressive as traditional cinema.

This was once again demonstrated by the 4th CINEMO International Mobile Film Festival, whose award ceremony took place on October 20 at the Nizami Cinema Center in Baku.

This year, the festival, held under the slogan "Don't suffer - shoot with your phone!", received more than 125 submissions from 46 countries.

According to Ruslan Sabirli, an actor and the founder and head of the project, the number of entries exceeded last year's figure, reflecting growing international interest in mobile filmmaking.

CINEMO aims to support the creative initiative of young people, promote filmmaking using mobile devices, develop mobile filmmaking skills, and introduce new talent to the film industry. Particular attention is given to social issues and the potential of cinema as a tool for communication and the exchange of ideas.

The international jury comprised Azerbaijani film director Fariz Ahmadov, who chaired the jury; Tamer Atac, a Turkish academic and lecturer; and Azerbaijani cinematographer Rashad Garayev.

The international competition recognized works across a wide range of genres, from documentaries and experimental films to music videos, video blogs, and films created using artificial intelligence.

The winners of the international competition:

• Best Feature Film - "Vertical" (Russia), Dmitry Korelin
• Best Short Film - "Blackink" (Venezuela), Daniel Penalosa
• Best Documentary Film - "Lens of Change" (Poland), Tomasz Sanpruch
• Best AI Film- "Drive to Furvive: Relegated" (Australia), Callum Russell
• Best Experimental Film - "Light in the Shadow" (Philippines), Gerald Nolasco
• Best Vertical Film - "Nahuales" (Mexico), Alejandro Cervantes
• Best Student Film - "Rift" (China), Qichen Wang
• Best Music Video - "Spark & Co." (Taiwan), Pai Chen
• Best Video Blog - "Tourist Blog" (Russia), Andrey Ushakov

In the festival's national competition, the jury also selected winners in eight categories. The recognized works included short films, documentaries, experimental projects, a music video, and a social awareness video.

The national competition winners:

• Best Short Film - "Qutu", Kenan Taghizade and Aydin Guliyev
• Best Documentary Film - "Həcər", Ramiz Gambarov
• Best AI Film - "Buts", Orkhan Adigozalov
• Best Experimental Film - "Axına doğru", Gultaj Ashrafli
• Best Vertical Film - "Orada olmayan qadına məktub", Orkhan Adigozalov
• Best Student Film- "Arzu", Kovsar Gurban and Inji Gurban
• Best Music Video - "Yenə o bağ olaydı", Gultaj Ashrafli
• Best Social Awareness Video - "Kuryer", Nazrin Juranli

During the ceremony, jury members shared their impressions of the festival, delivered speeches, and announced the winners. The award recipients took to the stage to receive their certificates and prizes.

The 4th CINEMO International Mobile Film Festival was organized by SBRLY with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the Azerbaijan Cinema Agency (ARKA).

Detailed information about the festival, participation rules, film requirements, and the prize fund is available on the official website: cinemoff.com.

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Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.