Azerbaijan demands removal of film by Armenian director from South Korea’s film festival

The Azerbaijan National NGO Forum sent a letter to the government of the Republic of Korea, expressing concern over the screening of the film “There Was, There Was Not” by Armenian director Emily Mkrtchyan at the Jeonju International Film Festival, urging the organizers to remove the film from the lineup.

In their letter, the authors criticized “the film for presenting Azerbaijani territory, which was previously under occupation, under a fabricated name.” This, they argue, “distorts historical facts, contradicts international law, and contradicts the official stance of South Korea regarding territorial disputes.”

“We strongly condemn the use of the Jeonju International Film Festival as a platform for promoting a film that encourages occupation, separatism, extremism, and fosters ethnic and religious hatred,” the letter stated. “Such content is not only harmful but also contrary to the values of peace and justice that should be upheld in global cultural exchanges.”

The Azerbaijan National NGO Forum demanded the festival “prevent similar incidents in the future due to its perceived threat to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.”