The “People of the Rear Front” short feature film script competition, organized by Azerbaijan Union of Filmmakers, aimed not only to uncover high-quality and compelling scripts but also to perform a research function. In other words, the competition sought to answer questions such as how screenwriters perceive the Second Karabakh War, whether their creative approaches are original, how well they understand a society, and how they represent reality within the artistic space.
The initial information I got while reviewing about 50 scripts submitted to the competition that most authors struggled to feel with the subject, the core of their stories, and their characters, at least, on an emotional level. It appeared that many were too lazy to research the theme of the home front as mere material. Key shortcomings in our cinema include a lack of research during the script’s preparatory stage, failure to recognize the invisible aspects of society, and an inability to create engaging and authentic characters. Common issues across many of the presented works include repetitive plots, atmosphere and settings, schematic structures, lack of conflict, lack of characters` deep development, and a failure to offer an artistic interpretation of reality and etc. In analyzing the scenarios, I also considered the opinions of fellow jury members Nadir Badalov and Parviz Mammadov.
In one scenario, the war news programs drive an old man to enlist in the army and fight. The story lacks conflict and dramatic complications; the plot unfolds simply, with the father visiting the military commissariat to argue and then returning without achieving the goal. The portrayal of the father is incomplete, with insufficient focus on his inner world—his pain and thoughts are not visually expressed adequately. Ultimately, we learn that the father seeks to fight to avenge his martyr son in the April fights of 2016. However, this revelation fails to create an emotional impact because the depicted dramatic structure until the end is not well constructed.
Another common issue, as mentioned earlier, is the lack of character who own distinctive traits. Specifically, the character traits and reactions of the parents and the warrior husband`s wife are too similar. For example, in one scenario, the women at the home of a family with a son fighting in the war prepare a supply of sweets intended for the front. The female characters in this scene lack individuality. Furthermore, “there are no complications or obstacles in the plot, and several scenes fail to evoke emotional changes” (Parviz Mammadov).
In another work that participated in the competition, although the idea of making clothing the central “image” is well-conceived, the focus shifts away from the mother who weaves the clothing and the clothing itself, and instead, the father becomes the main. As Nadir Badalov mentioned, “scenes are often not visually represented.” Additionally, the concerned parents, who have sent their sons to war, lack distinctiveness.
Although the idea behind a screenplay by one of the participants, inspired by a Faulkner story, is promising, the story falls incomplete and artificial due to weak conflict. As Nadir Badalov noted, “The event was simply transferred from America to Azerbaijan.” It is unconvincing that a ticket seller would help a small child in defiance of the law. The situation demanded a different artistic approach, and the dialogues did not shake or convince. In another screenplay, which tells the story of a young doctor who challenges a corrupt chief doctor selling veterans’ wheelchairs, a more journalistic style prevails in depicting social reality. As Parviz Mammadov observed, “Although there is a conflict, the basic elements of the plot include weightless dialogues and scenes that do not advance the story.” (Parviz Mammadov)
Additionally, other scripts that did not make it to the finals suffer from a lack of incident, with the characters of the father and mother waiting for their son, who is fighting in the war, depicted in very general terms. Some scripts approached the length of a full feature film and did not adhere to the competition’s guidelines.
In one scenario, the plot is multifaceted, making it unclear whether the story belongs to the woman seeking information about her brother or her friend who assists her. Furthermore, the development of the plot is not evident, and the ending feels incomplete.
Another scenario is not only excessively long but also does not adhere to the script format. The dialogues in the material, which centers on a boy with a congenital intracranial malformation who distributes doner and his sister who unknowingly go to the front, are dominated by a didactic tone. According to Parviz Mammadov, “there is little emotional change, and most of the descriptions are merely informative.”
Another thing that caught my attention in the scripts is the use of TV detail with the same purpose and a lot; the news on the start of the war and its victory are received by the heroes through television, the war information incites them to the next step, and the television helps to create the war atmosphere. The main issue is the form of the use of television, its dramaturgical designation, its importance, whether it appears in the script as an artistic image. The bad thing is that in the most scenarios, the TV cannot be an artistic image, a means of expression, and the purpose is the same. However, for example, Gulbaniz Azimzadeh’s “The Last Night of Last Year” and Yavar Rzayev’s “The Yellow Bride” have interesting approaches related to television.
In some of the scenarios entered into the competition, the television merely serves as a vehicle for delivering information without playing a role in the events. Television news is used as a trigger for the men to go to war. However, the authors had to present original and effective situations to convey the war atmosphere from the rear.
In the two scenarios that advanced to the final, a different approach to the television element was presented. In one scenario, a tailor father, whose son is fighting at the front, marks a map as he listens to victory reports on television. Although the script offers numerous visual opportunities, it needs a stronger dramatic connection between the news and the father’s actions.
In a different scenario, the television detail is approached in a more intriguing manner. The son instructs the neighbor’s child to deliberately break the TV so that his mother will not be worried by the war news. Here, the television serves as a significant artistic and visual symbol, playing a crucial role in the dramaturgy.
There were also scenarios that did not fully capture the essence of the competition. In one script set during the First Karabakh War, the focus is on the parents and the events occurring during a pregnant woman’s childbirth on the road. However, its title relates to children. Given that the conflict is not deeply explored, there was a clear need for scenes involving children who lost their parents.
Some scenarios did not incorporate the concept of competition at all. For instance, one submission focused on the fight against fraudsters targeting the families of martyrs, with an emphasis on the detective aspect.
In a screenplay by a female author, three girls care for orphaned baby swallows whose mothers have died, but see them merely as entertainment. Exploring themes of cruelty on children and the subsequent changes in their behavior due to parental influence could serve as the basis for a compelling children’s film.
Some scenarios did not advance to the finals because they were presented in a poster-like style suitable for social video advertisement. Among the scenarios with unclear messages, two stand out for their complete unknownness; they lack hope, catharsis, and conflict. For instance, it is intriguing to consider the author’s intended message in a scenario where three war participants, having returned home victorious, die in a drunken accident.
A common thread of several scenarios is the story of heroes who initially oppose the war and undergo a transformation in the process. These scenarios explore the differing perspectives of lovers, brothers, and friends regarding the war. While in some cases, the characters’ change of position is well-justified, others fail to achieve this goal. In all instances, it is crucial to bring stories with such content, rooted in our reality, to our cinema.
As previously mentioned, 13 works advanced to the finals. According to the jury’s general decision, first and second places were not awarded; instead, four winners were chosen for third place. This decision was made to enhance the screenwriters’ sense of responsibility, encourage them to thoroughly explore the themes and characters, and to achieve a successful conclusion. Although no first or second places were designated, the prize fund allocated for these positions was distributed among the winners.
Sevda Sultanova