The CGBV project together with UNFPA CO, the XXI Century without VAW project, the State Committee on Family, Women and Children’s Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Azerbaijan Cinematography Foundation initiated second series of the documentary contest entitled “Azerbaijani Family: past, present, future” first held in 2009. The contest represents a comprehensive public awareness campaign focusing on promotion of the egalitarian family values and support of the long-time tradition of mutual respect and non-violent methods of conflict resolution in Azerbaijani family environment.

The 2010 contest was launched on February 11, 2010 with the official opening ceremony as well as the wide dissemination of the respective calls for applications. According to the regulations of the event the films were expected to be submitted in line with four nominations: the best professional film, the best student film, the best TV program, the best foreign film. The topics to be covered included the following: young families, children deprived of parental care, domestic violence, etc.

April 25, 2010 was announced to be the deadline for the applications to be submitted to the Selection Committee composed of the representatives of the SCFWCA, UNFPA, CGBV project, Haydar Aliyev Foundation, Azerbaijan Cinematography Union, Ministry of Culture and Sport and MPs. Overall 30 films were submitted to the Selection Committee within the specified period. 3 films came from foreign directors, namely 2 from Uzbek and 1 from Estonian film directors. The Selection Committee held the review of the films on May 1-5, 2010. Following the review process it was decided to award the following prizes along 4 nominations:

 

ü        The best professional film:

“The long road that is never crossed” (the film presents the story of a man with disability, who is at the same time the breadwinner of a big family. The film is also a good example of an independent life style philosophy.)

 

ü        The best student film:

“White-black” (the film highlights the family reunion scenario)

 

ü        The best TV program

“Compromise” Public TV (the program brings important highlights into some family traditions in the country that have the potential to negatively impact the well-being of many young families)

 

ü        The best foreign film

“Plane tree” produced by Shavkat Yuldashev, Uzbek film director.

 

The celebration event as well as award ceremony took place on May 12, 2010 at Azerbaijan Museum Center. In her opening speech Ms Hijran Huseynova, the head of the State Committee on Family, Women and Child Affairs underlined the importance of raising the problems faced by Azerbaijani families nowadays. According to her “It is so difficult to maintain family traditions in our today’s globalizing world. Everything is changing and the families find it hard to get easily adapted to the changing life circumstances. Our festival aims at raising the existing problems and we do believe that the cinematography represents one of the most powerful tools in this respect.” In his turn, Mr Rasim Balayev, the first secretary of the Azerbaijan Cinematography Foundation emphasized the fact that the importance of this festival cannot be denied as it aims at fulfilling two important objectives: attract attention to the problems Azerbaijani families experience nowadays, as well as contribute to the development of national cinematography. “Many young film directors had a chance to demonstrate their talent and vision of family problems in Azerbaijan and this is really highly appreciated.”

The winners of the event were officially announced and awarded with participant certificates and prizes.