Logline
In a world ruled by crows and discrimination, a young girl decides to fight for justice.
Director Statement
This film is dedicated to the memory of 22-year-old Azerbaijani Turk Hadis Najafi, who was killed after being hit by 6 bullets from security forces during protests in Iran on September 21, 2022, and to those fighting against gender, ethnic and cultural discrimination in Iran.
Details
Idea and financial support: Azerbaijan Cultural Society of Northern California
Director: Nazrin Aghamaliyeva
Producer: Rashid Aghamaliyev
Country: Azerbaijan, United States, Czech Republic
Duration: 9 minutes, 19 seconds
Format: DCP / ProRes / Mp4
Production: ANIMAFILM Studio
© Rashid Aghamaliyev / ANIMAFILM Studio
© Azerbaijan Cultural Society of Northern California
2023
“I am going to the protests with excitement. A few years from now, I want to look back and feel happy that I attended the protests and everything has changed since then.”
- Hadis Najafi
Background
Download the full text here:
"The hijab is used as a tool of repression and compliance for women in Iran and is mandatory in public. Hadis Najafi, 23, was a part of the new generation of Azerbaijani Turk youth, conscious to both gender and ethnic struggle in Iran. She enjoyed sharing videos about fashion and styling her hair on social media, all without wearing the hijab. Her Instagram bio stated in Turkish, “if there’s another me, replace me.” A TikToker shot dead while protesting for women’s rights, Hadis Najafi has become a symbol for Azerbaijani resistance in Iran."
(An excerpt from "Hadis Najafi" paper by Azerbaijan Cultural Society of Northern California)
Awards
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Almaty Animation Festival (Kazakhstan) – Best Visual Design Award
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Sevil International Women's Documentary Film Festival (Azerbaijan) – Best Local Film Award
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Procida Film Festival (Italy) – Best Animated Film Award
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DokuBaku International Documentary Film Festival (Azerbaijan) – Best Local Film Award
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Golden Grape Short Film Festival (Georgia) – Jury’s Special Mention Award
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Baku International Short Film Festival (Azerbaijan) - Special Jury Mention Award
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Up and Coming International Film Festival Hannover (Germany) - International Film Award
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International Silk Road Film Festival (Turkey) - Best Short Animated Film Award
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PIAFF, Paris International Animation Film Festival (France) - Audience Award
Screenings
ACADEMY AWARD-QUALIFYING FESTIVALS
2023
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June 11-17 - Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France) – Competition
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Ocotber 6-15 - Animest – Bucharest International Animation Film Festival (Romania) – Competition
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October 20-24 - Bucheon International Animation Festival (South Korea) – Competition
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November 14-19 - Izmir International Short Film Festival (Turkey) - Out of Competition
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April 5-14 - Kaboom Animation Festival (the Netherlands) – Competition
ALL FESTIVALS AND SCREENINGS
2023
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June 11-17 - Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France) – Competition. International Premiere
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August 4-12 - DokuFest, International Documentary and Short Film Festival (Kosovo) - Out of Competition
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August 16-19 - Animist Tallinn, International Animation Festival (Estonia) - Out of Competition
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September 6-10, 2023 - Almaty Animation Festival (Kazakhstan) – Competition. Best Visual Design Award
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September 6-10, 2023 - ANIMAFILM International Animation Festival (Azerbaijan) - Out of Competition
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September 11-24, 2023 - Chaniartoon - International Comic & Animation Festiva (Greece)
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September 15-22, 2023 - Sevil International Women's Documentary Film Festival (Azerbaijan) – Competition. Best Local Film Award
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September 18-23 - Procida Film Festival (Italy) – Competition. Best Animated Film Award
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September 21-24 - Animation Volda Festival (Norway) - Out of Competition (Cultural Showcase Program)
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September 26 – October 1 - Animasyros International Animation Festival (Greece) - Out of Competition
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September 26 – October 1 - DokuBaku International Documentary Film Festival (Azerbaijan) – Competition. Best Local Film Award
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September 27-30 - Golden Grape Short Film Festival (Georgia) – Competition. Jury’s Special Mention Award
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October 2-8 - Festival War on Screen (France) – Competition
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October 2-8 - ANIMAGE - International Animation Festival of Pernambuco (Brazil) – Competition
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October 2-8 - BALKANIMA - European Animated Film Festival - Out of Competition (World Panorama)
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October 4-8 - LINOLEUM Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival (Ukraine) - Out of Competition
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October 4-8 - Tallgrass Film Festival (USA) – Competition
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Ocotber 6-15 - Animest – Bucharest International Animation Film Festival (Romania) – Competition
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October 17-21 - St. John's International Women's Film Festival (Canada) - Out of Competition
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October 23-29 - Canlandıranlar Animation Film Festival (Turkey) – Competition
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October 20-24 - Bucheon International Animation Festival (South Korea) – Competition
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October 25-28 - Animae Caribe International Animation & Digital Media Festival (Trinidad and Tobago)
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November 2-5 - TIAF - Tbilisi International Animation Festival (Georgia) – Competition
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November 10-15 - Baku International Short Film Festival (Azerbaijan) – Competition
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November 13-18 - TOFUZI International Animated Film Festival (Georgia) - Competition
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November 14-19 - Izmir International Short Film Festival (Turkey) - Out of Competition
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November 16-19 - GIRAF International Festival of Independent Animation (Canada) - Competition
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November 22-26 - Up-and-coming Int. Film Festival Hannover (Germany) - Competition
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November 16-19 - Rising of Lusitania - AnimaDoc Film Festival (Poland) - Out of Competition
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November - 34th Cinemagic International Film Festival (Ireland) – Competition
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November 27 – December 3 - Animateka International Animated Film Festival (Slovenia) - Out of Competition
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December 14-16 - Festival of film and video art for a new non-violent culture of peace (Serbia)
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December 15-18 - International Silk Road Film Festival (Turkey) - Competition
2024
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January 16-21 – PIAFF - Paris International Animation Film Festival (France) – Competition
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January 17-21 - Íránci Film Festival (Czech Republic) - Non-competitive festival
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March 1-31 - Amnesty International Film Festival (France) – Competition
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March 22-24 - Beirut Animation Nights (Lebanon) – Competition
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April 4-6 - TAAFI - Toronto Animation Arts Festival International (Canada)
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April 5-14 - Kaboom Animation Festival (the Netherlands) – Competition
Partners
Team
Director
Nazrin Aghamaliyeva
Producer
Rashid Aghamaliyev
Consultant
Masud Panahi
Screenplay
Ismail Iman
Nazrin Aghamaliyeva
Lead animator
Andrea Szelesová
Editor
Jorge Sánchez Calderón
Character Design
Sevinj Abbas
Andrea Szelesová
Nazrin Aghamaliyeva
Background artists
Nazrin Aghamaliyeva
Olga Aghamaliyeva
Sevinj Abbas
Kabira Hashimova
Storyboard artist
Kubra Binnetova
Animators
Andrea Szelesová
Aydan Hasanova
Firangiz Baghirova
Petr Mischinger
Nina Ovsová
Megan McSeveney
Abhranil Neogy
Prasad Babu Konda
Tamara Gogishvili
Alexandra Netunaeva
Satya Prakash
Coloring artists
Andrea Szelesová
Tamara Gogishvili
Arseni Okruashvili
Giorgi Kikvadze
Alexandra Netunaeva
Abhranil Neogy
Compositing
Andrea Szelesová
Text editors
Rafig Mammadli
Nitya Ramlogan
Graphic designer
Seymur Allahyarli
Composer
Ondřej Zavadil
Sound designer / Sound mix
Vojtěch Zavadil
Music
The Path of Thunder (vocalise)
Performer: Sevda Alekbarzadeh
Composer: Gara Garayev
Released on: 24.07.2014
Publishing Company: mikpro LLC
Music instrument performers
Saz - Elkhan Ilyasov
Cello - Vilém Vlček
Voice actors
Hadis Najafi - Zohre Karimi
1st Police officer - Mohammadreza M.
2nd Police officer - Amir
Photo in ending credits by
Instagram: shiirin_najafii
Special thanks
Our family
Masud Panachi
Sevda Alekbarzadeh
Andrea Szelesová
Parviz Isagov (PRoMete)
Elchin Hami Akhundov
Bahar Zeynalli
Alice Buffard
Sarah Guyot
Jorge Sánchez Calderón
Rafig Mammadli
Seymur Allahyarli
Rufat Mammadov
Zurab Diasamidze
Fariba Šumanská
Sangram Borse
Aydin Miyanali
Ramin Jabbarli
Ahmad Obali
Forough Asadpour
Farzin Farzad
This film was produced by ANIMAFILM Studio.
This film was made with the financial support of the Azerbaijan Cultural Society of Northern California.
Akinchi platform provided media support for the film.
Azerbaijan Animation Association provided media support for the film.
Skwigly Online Animation Magazine provided media support for the film.
© Rashid Aghamaliyev / ANIMAFILM Studio
© Azerbaijan Cultural Society of Northern California
2023