Arts In Brief

Photo contest winner  to travel to Paris
The first contest of young photographers called Comma will be organized in Baku by the Azerbaijani Photographers Association at the initiative of the French embassy. All amateur and professional photographers under 30 are welcomed to participate at the contest to last from February 1 to March 15. Winner of the contest will be awarded a nine-day tour to Paris and have an opportunity to take part in the photo festival to be conducted in Erl, France, according to the Association.

Artists to perform Russian ballet
The Azerbaijani State Opera and Ballet Theater will host the premiere of the Pafita ballet by Leonid Minkus on February 15. People's Artist Madina Aliyeva, Honorary Artists Gulagasi Mirzayev, Rimma Isgandarova and Yuri Lobachov will star the play directed by the People's Artist, ballet master Tamilla Siraliyeva, according to the theater.  Pafita has been earlier staged at the Opera and Ballet Theater. Besides, Don Kikhot by the Russian composer of Czech descent has been recently included in the theater's repertoire.

Young filmmakers’ festival due
A three-day young filmmakers festival will be held at the initiative of the Filmmakers Union on February 4 to mark the Youth Day of Azerbaijan, according to the Union's secretary, Baba Vazirov. Sponsored jointly by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Tourism, the festival aims to show films shot recently by young directors and facilitate dialogues and exchange of views between young and leading filmmakers. The festival is one of the events planned in accordance with a resolution of the 11th Congress of the Filmmakers Union. The winners of nominations - best actor/actress, cameraman, director and scriptwriter - will be awarded at the contest stage of the festival by the jury consisting of outstanding filmmakers.

Municipal theater to hold three premieres this year
The director of the Municipal Theater, Amaliya Panahova, has told AssA-Irada that the theater is planning to hold the premieres of new plays Son written by Aqsin Babayev, Stony hearts by Xalid Alimirzayev and Devil by Huseyn Cavid in 2003. Starred and directed by Amaliya Panahove herself, Devil is dedicated to the jubilee of its author Huseyn Cavid. Touching upon art tours, the director said the theater was expected to travel abroad shortly as it had received invitations.

Children's theater to visit Croatia
The first Azerbaijani professional children's theater, My Baby, will take part in the 11th international children's festival to be held in Pazen, Croatia on July 14-27. The event is initiated and sponsored by the Croatian President, according to director of the theater Intiqam Soltan.  A group of 12 children aged 12-15 will represent Azerbaijan at the festival to perform excerpts from the Azerbaijani folklore. Children will have an opportunity to display their personal art works at a mini-contest to be organized as part of the festival.