Salam festival how it will be
On September 2-5, Salam International Youth Film Festival will be held for the first time in Baku. In an interview the initiator and founder of the festival, director of Narimanfilm film studio, the honored cultural worker of Azerbaijan
Republic, the secretary of the Union of Cinematographers Nariman Mammadov, tells in detail about this event:
- How did you come up with the idea to hold the Salam festival in the original concept that you already announced?
- The idea of holding this festival has been in our thoughts for a long time, we have been going towards this for many years. The fact is that Narimanfilm film company has been a partner of the Giffoni film festival for more than 6 years, and during this time we were sending children every year to participate in the festival in Italy. When the first group of children took part in the festival, they returned from there very joyful and enthusiastic, it made us very happy and we decided to create something similar in Azerbaijan. I would like foreign children to get acquainted with the traditions, with the cultural life of our people, see with our own eyes how values are transmitted in our families. And we thought that it is necessary to create such festival, invite foreign children to live in an Azerbaijani family, absorb the atmosphere that prevails in our families, that care, that love, got acquainted with culture, with the cuisine, with tastes of Azerbaijani people and would take away with them those positive feelings that would allow them to continue to be “goodwill ambassadors” of the Azerbaijani people. We believe that in 5-10 years, Azerbaijan will receive a large number of friendly people who will occupy a certain place in the social society of their countries and
will be remember that love that they absorb while visiting with Azerbaijani families. This is what stood behind the idea of creating the Salam Film Festival. I really hope that we will be able to implement our plans and bring all of this to life.
- Participants from which countries do you expect?
- We hope that children from different countries will take part in the Salam film festival: these are, first of all, our neighbors Russia, Georgia, Turkey. We hope that the children from Italy will come. Also children from Macedonia, Bulgaria, India, Poland, Ukraine, Pakistan. Now a lot of work is done with embassies and with various organizations from these countries in order to provide as wide information as possible about the festival and invite children to visit us in Azerbaijan.
- How do you think will affect the participant from abroad the moment of residence in an Azerbaijani family?
- I think that this is a very important moment and one of the main conditions of our festival is the placement of children from abroad in Azerbaijani families. Of course, we could put them in a hotel. But then they would not be able to fully absorb the atmosphere prevailing in the Azerbaijani family. Since, with pride, it can be noted that the attitude of our parents to their children is indicative, is an example to follow in our opinion, and we believe that by placing children in their families for the period of the festival, we will give them the opportunity to absorb the atmosphere of love and good that reigns in an Azerbaijani family. Having breakfast with your peers in the family, attending some cultural events in the evenings in the family circle and just spending time together. We hope that all this will be reflected in children's memory, and they will be able to take with them the warmth that we want to convey. And it is important that they feel at home here.
- What will be the theme, format, genre and presentation of festival films?
- In fact, work is currently underway on these issues: by subject, genre, etc. We select films. The festival program at the process of developed. But, I think that is not the most important thing. The main thing is that children will be able to express their opinion, discuss the films they have watched with their peers, evaluate them, and exchange opinions. The film is only a tool for bringing children together. In order for them to watch a movie, they could talk with their peers and endure some spiritual values. We can sort of “check the clock”: something will be interesting for our children, otherwise it will attract the attention of foreign children. I think that “checking the clock” we will understand that there is a lot in common between children: ours and foreign, and they evaluate different events almost equally.
- Will there be a competition program in the framework of the festival?
- There will be a competition program, but, in our case, only children will evaluate films, acting as a jury. Since our festival is not so much a film festival, I repeat, cinema here acts as a tool for uniting children. After watching the films, they will be able to express their opinions, which film they liked more, which less ... But this is not the main thing. The main thing is that in the process of this communication they will be able to make friends, and we hope that this friendship will continue throughout life.
- Tell us about the opening ceremony ...
- We are working on the opening ceremony. I think it will be an interesting event, which is better not to talk about, you need to see it.
- What are the main goals of the Salam festival? - The main goals of the Salam festival are to popularize Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani culture, the values of our people around the world, rallying Azerbaijani children with their peers, and establishing friendly relations for many years. This is the creation of a certain base of friendly children who, having returned to their countries, will be able to share with their peers their joyful feelings and emotions experienced during the festival and this will serve to create a positive public opinion about Azerbaijan in the future.
- Do you plan to make the festival traditional?
- Yes, we plan to make this festival annual. With the support of the Ministry of Culture and thanks to the sponsorship of PASHA HOLDING and DEBET UNIFORM, as well as several other organizations that we are currently negotiating with. I hope that with their help we will be able to hold this festival every year. We want the festival to become a significant event in the cultural life of our country.
