The DokuBaku International Documentary Film Festival is the first such film event in Azerbaijan. The festival was founded in 2017 and aimed at new, independent documentary productions from all over the globe, as well as local filmmakers to support them in their further work.
This year, the latest documentary by Paweł Łoziński has been invited to one of the competitions. Jurors loved The Balcony Movie and awarded it with the iCyborg Award and Human Award for the best feature documentary film at the festival.
Can anyone be a film protagonist? Can you fit the entire world in a single frame? Director Paweł Łoziński watches people from his balcony. Both young and old, they walk by smiling, sad, thoughtful, staring at their phones. Residents of the neighbourhood, or casual visitors, ordinary passers-by. The author approaches them, asks questions, talks about their life and how they’re doing. Standing there with his camera for over 2 years, he created a place for dialogue, a secular confessional where everyone can stop and tell others about themselves. Every person carries their own riddles and secrets. They can’t be easily labelled. Life can’t be imagined. The Balcony Movie is a radical return to the early days of cinema, when it was people who approached the camera. Perhaps one just needs to stop and stay a while to see more?
You can find out more about the festival here.