The “İzzət Film Award” will be presented with the official partnership of the Azerbaijan Filmmakers’ Union (AFU), the support of the “Azad Mirzəcanzadə Development Program,” the Young Film Producers Association, and the Azerbaijan Guild of Film Critics and Cinema Scholars.
According to “Tehsil365”, the award was established by Afaq Yusifli, manager of international relations and projects at the Azerbaijan Filmmakers’ Union and a film director.
Named in honor of Azerbaijan’s first national film actress, İzzət Orucova, the award aims to enhance the role and representation of women in Azerbaijani cinema. For the first time in Azerbaijan, this award brings the subject of women to the professional stage and provides a special recognition for female cinema professionals, marking a significant innovation. The project also carries symbolic significance by honoring İzzət Orucova, the country’s first film actress and chemist. By awarding this prize, the initiative offers a new perspective on promoting women’s position and encouraging their contributions within the film industry.
Within the framework of the project, a professional jury will examine the female segment of Azerbaijani cinema from several perspectives and select the winners. Specially designed awards and cash prizes will be presented publicly. Despite granting women the right to vote in the East as early as 1918 and celebrating 127 years of Azerbaijani cinema, female creators in the industry remain underrecognized and underrepresented. This award brings the issue to the forefront and proposes ways to address it. By honoring the country’s first national film actress, the award once again highlights women and women-centered themes. Successful creators are presented to a wide audience as winners.
It should be noted that this project is one of the winners of the “Azad Mirzəcanzadə Development Program.” In the coming weeks, further details will be shared with the public regarding the jury members, award categories, the award ceremony date, and other related information.