On May 8, the closing and award ceremony of the “PILLA 4” Republican Student Theater Festival, organized by the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts (ASUCA) in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Education, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, took place at the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theater.
The ceremony, which began with the national anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was attended by the leadership of ASUCA and other higher education institutions, faculty members, students, theater figures, guests, and media representatives.
After the opening performance, the presenters – ASUCA graduates and employees of the Azerbaijan State National Youth Theater, Ilhan Sadigov and Aydan Hasanzade, provided information about the Pilla Festival. It was noted that the Festival, which began in 2022 within the framework of the “ASUCA 99+” project as a contribution to the university’s 100th anniversary, aims to inspire students to be creative, provide them with a celebration of art, support the discovery of young talents, and activate the theater education process.
It was noted that the festival’s partner is the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theater, the information partner is the Teatro.az art portal, and the supporters are Sahib Perfumery & Cosmetics and Dark Print LLC.
It was also added that for the second year, the festival is being held at the national level. Thus, out of 22 plays participating in the festival, 12 were from ASUCA and 10 from other higher education institutions.
Opening the event with an introductory speech, the Rector of ASUCA, Honored Art Worker, Professor Jeyran Mahmudova, welcomed the guests and stated that the PILLA Student Theater Festival has already left an indelible mark not only on the life of the University of Culture and Arts but also on other universities. Expressing her satisfaction with the enthusiasm for art and theater shown by young people studying in different specialties at other higher education institutions, the rector emphasized that the force uniting them on this stage is the love for art and theater. Specifically noting the participation of Karabakh University, the country’s youngest university, in the festival as a landmark event, J. Mahmudova said it is a true happiness to see that today, with the breath of youth, art and culture are sprouting in the lands liberated from occupation five years ago with a great victory.
In her speech, the rector expressed her gratitude to everyone who contributed to the organization of the festival and emphasized her belief that the PILLA Student Theater Festival will expand its reach in the coming years and be held at an international level.
Chairman of the jury, Professor of the Theater Studies Department, Honored Art Worker, Doctor of Art History, Professor Israfil Israfilov, spoke about the importance of the PILLA Student Theater Festival, saying that the week-long festival was a difficult but at the same time very enjoyable experience.
Then, a four-day video summary of the “PILLA 4” Festival was shown.
Throughout the event, Dean of the Theater Arts Faculty Kamala Mehdiyeva, member of the Organizing Committee, Associate Professor of the Theater Studies Department, PhD in Art History Elchin Jafarov, Head of the Theater Studies Department, Honored Art Worker, Professor Aydin Talibzade, teachers of the Theater Studies Department Aliya Dadashova, Aygun Suleymanova, Consultant-Professor of the Theater Studies Department, Honored Art Worker, Professor Maryam Alizade, Head of the Theater, Cinema and Television Department of the Institute of Architecture and Art of ANAS, Associate Professor Vidadi Gafarov and others spoke about the role of the festival in the development of Azerbaijani theater art in general and wished success to all participants.
Certificates and gifts were presented to all groups participating in the festival.
On behalf of the festival’s young experts, student-theater critic Zeynab Ismayilova spoke, emphasizing that the PILLA Festival was an interesting experience and an unforgettable memory for them as well. Later, the winning group and play selected by the young experts from among the ASUCA student teams were announced. The play “Vaziri-khani-hangama”, directed by Ruslan Ismayilov, was awarded the Young Experts’ Prize.
Zahra Farajzade, a student of Khazar University, and Narmin Mustafayeva, a student of ASUCA, were selected as winners in the “Best Supporting Actress” category, while Mahammadali Maharramli, a student of the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction, and Ali Davidov, a student of ASUCA, were selected as winners in the “Best Supporting Actor” category.
Afgan Sultan from ASUCA and Mehman Rahimli from Azerbaijan Medical University were awarded “Best Actor”, while Heyran Abdullayeva from ASUCA and Khadija Nabizade from the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University were awarded “Best Actress”.
Deputy Director of the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theater, PhD in Art History Vafa Muhajirova expressed her excitement in her speech as both an ASUCA graduate and a representative of the art center where the closing ceremony was held. She noted that performing in such festivals while still studying is of great creative importance for students and is essential for them to gain stage experience, and she expressed her gratitude to the festival’s creative team and organizers.
Speaking at the event, Intigam Babayev, Head of the Art Policy Department of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, emphasized that such creative festivals are of special importance in the development of students.
At the event, an award was also presented for one of the new categories, “Best Student-Director Work”. In this category, ASUCA student-director Anar Atakishiyev was declared the winner for the play “Laqeyd gozal”.
A feature that distinguished the “PILLA 4” Republican Student Theater Festival from its predecessors was the “Festival’s Special Award”, which was presented to the team representing Karabakh University by the unanimous decision of the jury. Presenting the award, Professor Maryam Alizade spoke about Azerbaijan’s glorious victory and the moral value of Karabakh University’s participation in the festival.
In her speech, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan Indira Hajiyeva emphasized that today, all conditions are created by our state for young people to grow up, study, and form as useful citizens in a creative atmosphere and a healthy environment, and she evaluated the PILLA Student Theater Festival as one of the successful projects of this kind. She expressed her gratitude to the leadership of the University of Culture and Arts, the organizers, and everyone who contributed for the conditions created for young people to demonstrate their creative potential, congratulated the winners, and wished them greater success.
Then, Indira Hajiyeva announced the winner of the “Best Play” category for other higher education institutions. In this category, the Azerbaijan University of Languages team won with the play “The Human Voice” (J. Cocteau), directed by Asmar Habibli.
ASUCA Rector Professor J. Mahmudova announced the winner of the “Best Play” category among ASUCA student teams. According to the results, the play “Vineta or the City Submerged in Water” (Y. Zoyfer, director: Mikayil Mikayilov) by the SABAH groups of ASUCA was declared the winner.
The winners shared their impressions and expressed their gratitude to the organizers of the festival.
Diplomas, plaques, various gifts, and cash prizes were presented to the winners.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports gifted the winning students a 2-night, 3-day vacation voucher to the Guba Sports, Recreation, Training and Education Complex and the Mingachevir Kur Olympic Training and Sports Center, coupons to Baku City Karting and the Ice Arena; the Ministry of Culture gifted commemorative presents; Sahib Perfumery & Cosmetics gifted original perfumes and discount coupons; and Dark Print LLC gifted promo print products and discount coupons.
In the artistic part of the evening, the “Live, My People” dance composition prepared by the ASUCA dance group (choreographer Aydan Kamilova), the “Genius” plastic composition directed by Sabah Center teacher Elnur Ismayilov, the “Rock-n-Roll” dance (choreographer Ofeliya Zeynalova), L. Beethoven’s “Contredanse” performed by the ASUCA “Camerata” student orchestra, as well as the songs “In This City”, “If Life Were a Holiday”, “I Saw Shusha as Snow”, “Return My Love” performed by Music Arts faculty students Abdusalam Shabanli, Ahmad Mammadov, Aleksandra Makarova, Seljan Rafili, and Mardan Kazimov, and an animation prepared by Matanat Abdullayeva, an employee of the Public Relations, Marketing and PR department, using Artificial Intelligence technologies, provided the audience with interesting moments.
It should be noted that the director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the “PILLA 4” Republican Student Theater Festival is Honored Artist Gurban Masimov, and the screenwriter is Shahana Mushfig.