— About
Team
Aygun Rashidova
Director/Founder
Aygun Rashidova is a journalist, cultural manager, and founder of SevilFest — the first women's documentary film festival in Azerbaijan. With a background in journalism and over seven years of experience in international media projects, she has been actively supporting emerging filmmakers and promoting stories focused on women and social issues. Aygun is passionate about storytelling, feminist cinema, and creating platforms for underrepresented voices. She holds a BA and MA in journalism and is currently exploring new directions in screenwriting and media production.
Nazrin Asgarova
Operations Manager
Nazrin Asgarova joined the SevilFest team in 2022 as a Guest Relations Manager and now serves as a Project Manager, playing a key role in the festival’s development and outreach. With a background in marketing management and advertising, she also works as an Account & Project Manager at local and global advertising agencies. Beyond her work in the corporate sector, Nazrin is deeply engaged in civil society initiatives. Through SevilFest, she actively contributes to promoting gender equality, amplifying marginalized voices, and creating spaces for critical discussions on social issues. Her dedication to cultural and social activism helps expand SevilFest’s impact, promoting community engagement and meaningful dialogue.
Durna Safarova
International Relations Manager
Durna Safarova manages the international relations of “SevilFest” and is also the curator of its special program, “Best of Fests.” With extensive experience in media and filmmaking, Safarova began her career as a journalist during her university years. Her articles and research have been published in various local and international media outlets. She later expanded her focus to film production, distribution, and curation, producing numerous short films and collaborating with leading documentary sales agencies. As a film producer, Durna has worked on projects that have premiered at international festivals such as Annecy, Ji.hlava, Visions du Réel, and Sarajevo. Durna holds an MA in Film Studies from University College London (as a Chevening Scholar) and an MA in Film and Television from Istanbul Bilgi University. She is an alumna of Talents Sarajevo, Ji.hlava Academy, and the East-West Talent Lab.
Vadil Sadigov
Venue Coordinator
Vadil joined the SevilFest team in 2023 as the Venue Coordinator. With nearly a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, Vadil has refined his expertise in cafes and restaurants. His journey has taken him to various countries, including Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Montenegro. In Baku, he played a significant role as a business partner in renowned establishments such as W-space, Le Château Bar, and Perron. Over the last five years, Vadil has been instrumental in curating menus for bars and restaurants located in proximity to the Fairmont Hotel in Baku.
Zivar Alizada
Event Manager
Zivar Alizada collaborates with community-based organizations and has gained experience in project management, community development, and social impact initiatives. She is a co-founder of the Azerbaijan Evaluation Initiative and also contributes to arts-based social programs at the Ritual Theatre and Creativity Laboratory.
Huseyn Yunisov
Technical Coordinator
Huseyn Yunisov prefers making a real impact over making noise. With a background in geography, he has channeled his interest in nature into eco-activism and social responsibility. Nature walks, birdwatching, and mapmaking are part of his everyday life. For Huseyn, loving nature isn't just about being outdoors – it's about contributing to people and the community. He values gender equality, human rights, and social justice just as much as he values ecology. As a member of the SevilFest team, Huseyn is responsible for technical operations, making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
Adila Aghayeva
Content Creator and Social Media Manager
Adila Aghayeva has an academic background in culture and arts. She is a content creator and film critic with experience in media, cultural documentation, and civil society projects. She has participated in international workshops and projects focused on journalism, filmmaking and cultural representation. Adila joined the SevilFest in 2025 as a Content Creator and Social media manager.
Bashir Gasimov
Head of Volunteers
Bashir Gasimov joined the SevilFest team in 2024 as a head of volunteers. For the past three years, he has been working in the education sector on program focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and startups. Prior to that, during his student years, he was involved in launching several social initiatives and also led talent management within an international youth organization(AIESEC). At SevilFest, his main goal is to both attract volunteers to the festival and ensure they provide the best possible support throughout the festival.
Aytaj Huseynli
Guest Relations Coordinator
Aytaj Huseynli has been working as an independent researcher for nearly three years. Her research interests include gender policy, social policy and peacebuilding. She has participated in various projects related to community building and the promotion of gender equality within civil society organizations and international institutions.
Gulyaz Hummetzade
Shaki City Coordinator
Gulyaz Hummetzade is a teacher who studied at the Faculty of Philology, Azerbaijani Language and Literature. Gulyaz graduated from BSU with both bachelor's and master's degrees. She worked at Azerbaijan Technical University and Azerbaijan Medical University. Gulyaz tries to make foreign students love and teach the Azerbaijani language. She participated in International Conferences by writing many articles on her specialty, especially in the field of mythology. She is working as a Shaki city coordinator at SevilFest.
Hasan Badalov
Lankaran City Coordinator
Hasan Badalov's deep passion for cinematography has led him to write numerous reviews and create a short film this summer. He thoroughly enjoys movie nights, sharing film information, and engaging in discussions about their messages with the audience. Having set his sights on a future in the film industry, Hasan is overjoyed and filled with anticipation to be part of Sevilfest.
Aitan Iakubova
Lankaran City Coordinator
Aitan Iakubova is an ethnic Azerbaijani, a Russian citizen, an activist, and a women's rights advocate. Aitan writes articles for organizations' websites, covering social and gender issues. She currently lives in Azerbaijan and is the founder of the Nadjima Empowerment Foundation, a charitable organization that helps girls from low-income rural families access education. At present, eight girls are receiving free preparatory courses through the foundation.