Baku, November 15, AZERTAC
"Qaragh" (Wake up), a thriller short film by Suad Gara, an Azerbaijani-British filmmaker, world premiered in Baku as part of the 14th Baku International Short Film Festival.
The movie narrates about the ex-soldier suffering from PTSD, who decides to visit his mother in his remote home village to find peace of mind. There, he participates in a mystical spring cleansing ritual set around a temple inside a 13th-century cemetery in the middle of the forest, where he encounters a mysterious little girl. His innocent alter-ego brings him face to face with his inner demons and sets him on a difficult path to acceptance and redemption.
After the premiere of the movie, Director Suad Gara spoke about the history of creation of the movie. "I went to one of Ismayilli's villages for rest. When I was walking in the village, I came across a cemetery dated back to the 13th century. People who lost their lives in the war slept there. I had different feelings when I saw this scene. This is how the idea of the film struck me. Those who watch the film are interested in the mentioned village and customs,” he said.
Astar Productions` movie, co-starring Orkhan Iskandarli, Suri Huseyn, Rahila Shirinova, Rivka Khripunova and others.
Gara is currently working on her debut feature, Hotel Diana, which was selected for the WEMW Trieste Co-Production Forum — where it won the Pop-Up Film Residency Award — and the Less Is More European development lab.