QARAGH — an extraordinary thriller short film directed by Suad Gara — is gearing up for its highly anticipated world premiere in the International Competition of the 14th edition of the prestigious Baku International Short Film Festival, which will be taking place from November 10th to the 15th.
The film will be screened in the presence of its director, who will offer the audience a unique opportunity to engage with her in an open discussion after the screening.
QARAGH delves into the profound story of an ex-soldier suffering from PTSD who decides to visit his mother in his remote home village to find some 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. This innocent alter-ego brings him face to face with his inner demons and sets him on a difficult path to acceptance and redemption.
With MAD Solutions handling worldwide distribution, the film boasts a talented ensemble cast, including Orkhan Iskandarli — who is a frequent collaborator of the nominated Azerbaijani director Hilal Baydarov — Suri Huseyn, Rivka Khripunova, as well as remarkable non-professionals from the village community.
Meanwhile, the film's production company, Astar Productions, has spared no effort in bringing Gara's compelling vision to life, ensuring that every aspect of the film reflects the highest standards of craftsmanship and creativity.
Suad Gara is an Azerbaijani British filmmaker and curator. She holds an MSC in philosophy and public policy from the London School of Economics and an MLIT in modern and contemporary art from the University of Glasgow.
Her first short film, BREAKFAST (2021), premiered at the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival in 2022 and won the Audience Choice Award at the Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival. Then, her experimental short documentary HOW TO BECOME A MERMAID (2021) won the Kudos Award at Docs Without Borders.
She 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.
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