The Azerbaijan Union of Filmmakers has announced a feature-length screenplay competition titled ” Oh, you, Childhood.” For several years now, the Union has been consistently organizing screenplay competitions, viewing them as a key mechanism for developing national cinema, fostering healthy competition among authors, and encouraging greater interest in screenwriting.
Azerbaijani cinema has a rich tradition of films made for children. Productions featuring vivid and memorable child protagonists have helped to shape the moral ideals of several generations of audience. The cinematic technique of addressing serious, complex themes through the voices of children—common in world cinema—has also found its place in our national film heritage. Classics such as “Shared Bread,” “You Can’t Take the Island with You,” “The Pain of a Milk Tooth,” “A stepmother,” “The tale of the lonely pomegranate,” “The Secret of the ship’s clock,” and “Buta” transcend age, appealing to audiences both young and adult.
Alongside these dramas, Azerbaijani cinema also boasts successful adventure films primarily aimed at younger audience, but which captivate adults as well. Notable examples include “The Magic gown,” “The Secret of a fortress,” “I write songs,” and “The Lesson.”
One of the major issues in Azerbaijani cinema since independence has been not only the lack of films made for children, but also the absence of films about children, even those intended for adult ones. Yet children in our country are often witnesses to, participants in, or even victims of the political, economic, social, and military events that shape our society.
Today’s Azerbaijani children include the sons and daughters of martyrs and veterans, village schoolchildren, champions of academic and sports competitions, students, teenagers, book lovers, aspiring young actors and actresses, and children fascinated by science and technology. In short, they are millions of young souls living with the simple hope of a happy childhood. They are tomorrow’s citizens—meaning they are the future of our homeland. These are the same children who, whether consciously or not, carry the weight of traditional “fathers-and-sons” expectations, the psychological turmoil of growing up, the challenges of emotional, sexual, and mental development, and the pressure of intergenerational tension. Regardless of their background, circumstances, or worldview, they are individuals who continue on their path with strength, simply by saying: “I am a child.”
Films that reflect their lives should empower them, help them enjoy the essence of childhood, and tune them into a healthy, hopeful wavelength. “Oh, you, Childhood” feature-length screenplay competition has been announced with exactly these goals in mind.
The Azerbaijan Union of Filmmakers presents the official guidelines for the aforementioned competition:
– The main character of the screenplay must be a child under the age of 15.
– There are no restrictions regarding genre.
– The events in the screenplay must take place in a contemporary setting (within the time frame of 2000–2025).
– Submitted screenplays must be a minimum of 55 pages.
– The title page must include the title of the screenplay, the full name of the author, and in the bottom-right corner, the author’s email address and phone number for contact.
– Only feature-length fiction screenplays will be accepted. Scripts for animation, documentaries, or short films are not eligible.
– Submissions will not be accepted after the deadline.
– The rights to the submitted work must belong to the author. It must be original and must not have been previously produced or adapted for the screen.
– Screenplays that have previously won in the feature-length screenplay competitions will not be accepted.
– To participate in the competition, applicants must submit the following documents both electronically to [email protected] with the subject line “Oh,You, Childhood”, and in printed form (2 copies) to the office of the Azerbaijan Union of Filmmakers at Bulbul Avenue 30:
- The feature-length fiction screenplay (submitted in standard screenplay format; font: Courier New, size: 12)
- A synopsis (maximum one and a half pages)
- Information about the author (including filmography, if applicable, date of birth, place of employment, and educational background)
– Each author can submit a maximum of two screenplays.
The submission is open between October 1, 2025 and April 1, 2026. Finalists will be announced on July 15, and winners on August 2, 2026.
Winners of first, second, and third place will receive cash prizes of 5000 AZN, 3500 AZN, and 2500 AZN, respectively, along with official diplomas.
aki.az