At the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, the acclaimed Azerbaijani director Hilal Baydarov presented his latest work, Sermon to the Void, in the “Out of Competition Fiction” section. Supported by the Ministry of Culture and the Azerbaijan Film Commission (ARKA), the film was screened on September 5 and received enthusiastic responses from both audiences and cinema professionals.
According to the Ministry of Culture, a press conference followed the screening, highlighting Azerbaijani culture and cinema. The final installment of Baydarov’s Sermon trilogy, Sermon to the Void, was praised for its conceptual and aesthetic qualities.
The film is noted for its significance in presenting Azerbaijani literature, thought, and folklore to the world. Drawing inspiration from the works of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Məhəmməd Füzuli, the story interprets lovers’ quest for the “water of life” as a metaphor for the human search for the self.
The screenplay was co-written by Hilal Baydarov and Aysu Akcan, with Orkhan Fikratoglu producing. The film is a collaborative effort between filmmakers from Azerbaijan, Mexico, and Turkey, and features actors Huseyn Nasirov, Maryam Nagiyeva, Rena Asgerova, Elshen Abbasov, and Orkhan Iskanderli in leading roles.
The 82nd Venice International Film Festival began on August 27 and concludes today.
