After the show in Minsk “Pomegranate Garden” from the main competition of the Listapad’s feature films program took one of the leading positions in the viewer rating. Having watched the premiere, the audience not only actively voted, but also participated in the discussion of the film with producer Ali Isa Jabbarov, they asked questions and joked. As it turned out, the similarity with Chekhov’s “Cherry Orchard” is not the only highlight of the film. A shot from the film “Pomegranate garden” We can not understand a lot from the description of Ilgar Najaf’s picture: it echoes by its name and plot with the famous work of Russian classics, but this…

Dir. Ilgar Najaf.  Azerbaijan. 2017. 90 mins An interpretation of Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard, Ilgar Najaf’s Pomegranate Orchard (Nar baği) is a measured familial drama played out against the picturesque backdrop of the titular plantation. As a depiction of a time that has passed amidst the onslaught of modernity, it is often calm and quiet whilst hiding a maelstrom of emotions below the surface. Opening the East of the West Competition at Karlovy Vary 2017 gives the film a comparatively high profile which should net a healthy amount of interest on the festival circuit – especially considering the relative paucity of films originating from Azerbaijan. Its languid pace might not…