Mentors

Asmar Abdullayeva

Founder and owner of Asmart Creative Hub. Diploma of MA at Azerbaijan State University Culture and Art. PhD at Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.

Eldar Albertsson

Filmmaker. Alumnus of International Cinema School of Rustam Ibragimbekov, 2010feature length anthology “Urban Motives 4.1” (160 min) as a Creative Producer and documentaryanthology “BAKU from Dawn till Dusk” (60 min) as a Director of two episodes. One of the founders and producers of Azerbaijani Cinemarathon based on Cinemasports international film project, which consistently holds one-day event, where it is required to make a film within 10 or 24 hours.

Tarlan Rasulov

Director at Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts. Since 2017, he has been the artistic director and creator of DOM Independent Theater.

Gurban Bunyatov

Producer, film director, scriptwriter. Founder and Producer of the “CineMarathon Azerbaijan”. Founder of the “BUNYATOV & Co - Creative Consulting”. Production Manager of the “Nasimi Festival”. Creative Director of the “Leo Burnett Azerbaijan”. Film Producer and Screenplay Writer. Producer and Production Manager of the several international and local projects.

Gurban Bunyatov

Producer, Director, Script Writer. One of the Azerbaijani coordinators of the Cinemasports international film project.

Tarlan Rasulov

Tarlan Rasulov is a theatre director, founder of the dOM independent theatre company (Azerbaijan), translator, manager, producer, writer and performance scholar. He is a PhD Candidate in Theatre Studies of the University of Culture and Arts of Azerbaijan. Head of the laboratory of the Experimental Theatre and Consultant of Azerbaijan Theatre Union. Tutor in Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts. Member of EURODRAM-European network for drama in translation, East European Performing Arts Platform, Guild of Professional Filmmakers of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Theatre Union. His immersive performance “Limbo” (dedicated for World Refugee Day) won a special prize “For the development of a new stage space and ways of communication with the audience” at the VII International Festival of Turkic-speaking theatres “Tuganlyk” in 2019.

Eldar Albertsson

Filmmaker. One of the Azerbaijani coordinators of the Cinemasports international film project.

Asmer Abdullayeva

Asmer Abdullayeva is a PhD, associate professor, art critic that develops educational programs for expertise and restoration departments of History of Art faculty of Art Academy. She is the founder and owner of Asmart Creative Hub, an independent creative space that acts as a platform that supports and promotes cultural and creative industries in Azerbaijan. During five years (2015-2020) she was the coordinator of the project on a Joint Academic Art Programme between Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan,The Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts (London, GB), and Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts. She is the creative director of Azerkhalcha JSC. Furthermore, Asmer is the author of 4 books, a large number of articles, publications, and an international trainer in the field of creative industries and cultural management.

Mehti Abidov

Freelancer in film making, set assistant, production management.

Orkhan Aghazadeh

Orkhan Aghazadeh – is a writerdirector based in Azerbaijan. After his BA in Journalism and Mass Communications, he obtained a scholarship to do an MA in Filmmaking at London Film School and graduated with distinction. His first short documentary ‘A Letter to Lenin’ was premiered at Leipzig International film festival. His graduation short film ‘The Chairs’ was acceptedby many festivals including Palm Springs Short FF, Angers Premiers Plans FF, Tampere FF, Brussels FF, Poitiers FF and won awards in others. His feature-film project ‘The Prisoner’ was selected to be developed by the Cinefondation Residency of Cannes Film Festival (Paris, France) in 2020 and to La Prevote residency (Bordeaux, France 2021). The project was also part of Cinemart of Rotterdam Film Festival. Orkhan’s first debut hybrid documentary film “The Return of The Projectionist” is a FrenchGermany coproduction. The project is now in post-production.

Nargiz Baghirzade

In 2010 Nargiz Baghirzade’s story book “The Day After Tomorrow” was included in the long-list of the National Book Award of Azerbaijan. In the same year Nargiz became Presidential Scholarship for Young Azerbaijani Writers. In 2013 her play “Face Book. Post Scriptum” (“Face Book. Life”), staged in Riga, Latvia and participated in international theater festivals. 2016 - Member of the jury of «Batumi International Art-house film festival», Georgia. 2018 - Member of the jury of «Potential» Film Platform, Russia. Scriptwriter of feature films and series of Azerbaijani and Russian production – “Baku, I love you”, “Train called – time”, “Mothers of Champions”, “16+”, “The asphalt in summer is warm” (this script won the financial support of the Russian Ministry of Culture in 2021). Her scripts have won several grants in Azerbaijan and Russia.

Leyla Gabulova

Leyla Gabulova is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher who works in mixed media, using her experience in painting, textiles, animation, and film to create immersive spaces. After graduating from Azerbaijan Medical University, she continued her education abroad in London, United Kingdom, and Prague, Czech Republic, where she also developed her practical artistic skills. Using her background, she explores the relationship between art and science to create fresh perspectives on how to comprehend, represent, and interpret the world. Her artwork has been displayed in several national and international exhibitions, as well as ARTIM Project Space and the Museum of Azerbaijani Painting. In her work, she frequently cooperates with scientists and professional institutions.