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Laman Ismayilova

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The 75th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) has kicked off in Germany, bringing together thousands of visitors from cinema enthusiasts to acclaimed filmmakers, Azernews reports.

The Azerbaijan Cinema Agency has set up its pavilion at the festival in order to promote national cinematography at the international level and demonstrate Azerbaijan's rich cultural heritage.

Within the festival, the Azerbaijani delegation, including the head of the International Relations Department at Azerbaijan Culture Ministry Farrukh Jumayev, Acting Director General of the Azerbaijan Cinema Agency Orkhan Fikratoglu, employee of the agency Sabina Baghirova, representatives of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Berlin and a group of Azerbaijani directors and producers participated in the Berlinale and the European Film Market (EFM).

The European Film Market (EFM), a film trade fair held simultaneously in the Berlinale, is a major industry meeting for the international film circuit.

The trade fair serves distributors, film buyers, producers, financiers and co-production agents.

The Berlinale Talents, a week-long series of lectures and workshops, is a gathering of young filmmakers held in partnership with the festival.

Furthermore, the Azerbaijani delegation held a series of meetings to promote Azerbaijan national cinematography worldwide and establish cooperation in this area.

A memorandum was signed between the Azerbaijan Film Agency and the National Cinema Center of Moldova in Berlin.

The main purpose of the memorandum is to promote more intensive cooperation in the field of audiovisual activities and film culture, audience development and joint film production of the two countries.

The document was signed by Acting Director General of Azerbaijan Cinema Agency Orkhan Fikratoglu and Executive Director of the Moldovan National Cinema Center Valentina Iusuphojaev.

The memorandum envisages the signing of relevant agreements between the parties in order to ensure the implementation of cooperation activities arising from the provisions of this document.

The Berlin International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europe's "Big Three" film festivals alongside the Venice Film Festival held in Italy and the Cannes Film Festival held in France.

Furthermore, it is one of the "Big Five", the most prestigious film festivals in the world. The festival regularly draws tens of thousands of visitors each year.

About 400 films are shown at multiple venues across Berlin, mostly in and around Potsdamer Platz. They are screened in nine sections across cinematic genres, with around twenty films competing for the festival's top awards in the Competition section.

The major awards, called the Golden Bear and Silver Bears, are decided on by the international jury, chaired by an internationally recognizable cinema personality. This jury and other specialized Berlinale juries also give many other awards, and in addition, there are other awards given by independent juries and organisations.

The 75th Berlin International Film Festival opened with the German drama film The Light by Tom Tykwer. During the ceremony, British actress Tilda Swinton was awarded the Honorary Golden Bear.

American filmmaker Todd Haynes was named the Jury President for the main competition. American filmmaker Todd Haynes was named the Jury President for the main competition.