01 Nomination of local short documentary film
The girl who dances
Pərvanə Quliyeva
— Festival
Archive
2020 — 2026 · 7 editions
Edition · 2025
VI
VI SevilFest
VI “SevilFest” — July 5–13, Baku, Sheki, Lankaran
Slogan: Contradictions
The 6th edition of “SevilFest,” under the slogan Contradictions, highlighted the conflicting roles and stereotypes imposed on women by society. Remembered for its discussions, masterclasses, and film screenings, this year’s “SevilFest” once again hosted important female figures in documentary cinema.
As part of the retrospective dedicated to Chantal Akerman, her editor Claire Atherton held a masterclass at our festival. Among the guests were also Rada Šešić, who leads the documentary film competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival, and Rachel Pronger, co-founder of the Invisible Women collective.
Welcoming more than 2,000 attendees, “SevilFest” screened 30 films and actively organized events not only in Baku, but also in Sheki and Lankaran.
Winners
04 01 
02 International short documentary film nomination
Between Delicate and Violent
Şirin Bahar Demirel
03 Juri special mention
Nilo
Aysedora Karneyro
04 Juri special mention
We shouldn't have gone, Valeria
Atanur Nəbiyeva
Jury
05
Rada Şeşic
Head of Documentary Competition, Sarajevo Film Festival
Rada Sesic is one of the most influential figures in the international documentary scene. She heads the Documentary Competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival, co-founded the Docu Rough Cut Boutique, and serves as a programmer at Trieste Film Festival and advisor to IDFA and Rotterdam. Her award-winning documentaries have screened at major festivals.
Reyçel Pronqer
Film writer, curator & co-founder of Invisible Women
Rachel Pronger is a film writer, curator, and co-founder of “Invisible Women”, a feminist film collective. She has worked with leading UK festivals and cinemas, and her articles have appeared in “Sight and Sound”, “The Guardian”, “Documentary Magazine”, “MUBI Notebook”, and others.
Malika Muxamecan
Filmmaker & founder of Qyzqaras Film Festival
Malika Mukhamejan is a filmmaker and curator from Kazakhstan. She is the founder of Qyzqaras, a feminist initiative based in Almaty that amplifies women’s voices in cinema, with a focus on Central Asia. Her debut film “Longer Than a Day” premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival, and she is currently developing her second feature. Malika’s poetic and personal films explore themes of loneliness, womanhood, and emotional alienation. Through Qyzqaras, she curates screenings, lectures, and an annual festival committed to dialogue and community-building.
Marina Belikova
Animation filmmaker
Marina Belikova is a Berlin-based animation filmmaker and multimedia artist. Her film “The Astronaut’s Journal” has screened internationally. Her work explores memory, urban traces, and everyday life. She is part of the Factual Animation Film Festival team and lectures on documentary animation.
İradə Bağırzadə
producer, screenwriter
Irada Baghirzade is a producer, screenwriter, writer, and the founder and director of ADARI Films. She has produced several acclaimed films, including “Chameleon” (2013, dir. Rufat Hasanov & Elvin Adigozel), “Bilesuvar” (2019, dir. Elvin Adigozel), and “Cold as Marble” (2022, dir. Asif Rustamov), which have screened at prestigious international festivals and received awards.
In 2016, Baghirzade received the “Qızıl Peri” national film award. Since 2022, she has been a member of the European Film Academy.
