Answering to the question on if it is possible to cooperate with Azerbaijani filmmakers in film production field, GAIFF Pro program leader, Melik Karapetyan answered: “While preparing the project, we have thought around this issue. We now have an issue connected with even displaying Armenian films in Turkey. We should take into account that suchlike issues will always be in place, but we should be able of creating a platform in the environment of film festivals where people are able to speak with each other… joint productions with Germany, France are possible, for example – for their producers to come with projects. We do not restrict, it is simply important for the film to be interesting, the story to be interesting, worth to be chosen and be displayed in the market. I do not see any issue from that perspective.”
The director of “Golden Apricot” film festival, Susanna Harutyunyan added that suchlike actions in the festivals show that today’s festivals are not relevant without such initiatives and platforms (she implies GAIFF Pro). “The objective of the festival is not only bringing to light the best films, creating an environment, representing the important achievements of the film industry to the audience but representing Armenian films at the same platform, which facilitates the local production. By the way, the local production is impossible to be developed without a bigger image and vision. The first issue is the joint production, the second one is the integration into the film processes of the region and the European structures.”
Gohar HAKOBYAN
