Azerbaijani film wins Grand Prix at international festival

The documentary "Sonuncu" (The Last One) produced by Baku Media Centre and Salnamfilm Studio with support from the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry received the Grand Prix "Anna" of the XV Cheboksary International Film Festival in the nomination "Best Film".

The festival was held on June 2-7, 2022 in Cheboksary (Chuvash Republic, Russia). The film "Sonuncu" was presented in the competition program for ethnic and regional cinema, the film's director, Fariz Ahmadov, told Trend.

Arzu Aliyeva is the film's general producer; the producers are Orman Aliyev and Nazim Huseynov; the director is Fariz Ahmadov; the screenwriters are Esmira Eyub and Fariz Ahmadov, and the cinematographer is Mateusz Chukhnowski (Poland).

The film tells about Vitaly Pronin, the last resident of Kurdili island. The once-thriving island became uninhabitable in 1981 as the Caspian Sea's water level rose. The majority of the population has relocated. Without gas, electricity, and almost no people, the island became desolate, animals went wild, and houses collapsed. There was no one else there... except Vitaly, 68... He inhales the island. He takes his final breath there... And all of this is in full view of the camera.

The film "The Last One," which premiered at the 50th International Film Festival in Rotterdam last year, was shown at prestigious film festivals around the world. He received the Golden Maple Award for "Best Documentary" at the XV Jahorina Film Festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bronze Castle award at the XXV International Documentary Film Festival OFF CINEMA in Poland, and the "Best Domestic Documentary Film" award at the V DokuBaku International Documentary Film Festival. In addition, the film was selected to compete in the main section of the documentary competition at the XXIX International Film Festival EnergaCAMERIMAGE in Torun (Poland).