Rufat Hasanov

Rufat "Ru" Hasanov (; born 24 April 1987 ) is an Azerbaijani film director, producer, editor, and a voting member of the European Film Academy.

Early life and education Born in Azerbaijan, Hasanov completed his secondary education at Quakertown Senior High School in Pennsylvania, graduating in 2003. He earned a B.A. in theatre with a minor in Russian Studies from Bates College Hasanov went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts in Directing for Film & TV from the Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Directors (HCFDS) in Moscow, which earned a Golden Leopard nomination at the Locarno Film Festival. won Best Director at the Sarajevo Film Festival, received the International Jury Prize at Festival Nouvelles Images Persanes (Vitré), and was Azerbaijan's submission for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards.

Starting in 2014, he has worked as a director at the Azerbaijanfilm studio. In 2019 he became CEO of Debut Film Studios, where he launched InterAct, a film laboratory supporting production, post-production, distribution, and funding for emerging filmmakers. In 2020 Hasanov joined the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan as Head of the Cinema Department (later Audiovisual & Interactive Media), overseeing the establishment of ARCA and serving as interim CEO

Teaching and training

Hasanov has taught filmmaking since 2008, beginning as a visiting instructor at Rangeley Lakes Regional School in Maine, leading workshops at Summer Media Studio in Lithuania (2015), and serving on the faculty of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts and YARAT Contemporary Art Space in Baku.

Filmography

As producer

Small in Japan (TBA) Thomas Goltz: An Oil Odyssey (2025) Two Days (2023) (uncredited) Orizuru (2022) Gokhuroba (2020) (uncredited) The Island Within (2020) No Such Thing (2017) Shanghai, Baku (2016) My Grief Is Light (2014) (2013) 012 (2012) (2010) Force Majeure (2009) VGIK Summer Film Festival (O, Sortie!, 2010)

Official submissions

Azerbaijan's entry for Best International Feature Film, 94th Academy Awards (The Island Within, 2020)

Nominations & festival selections Chameleon (2013)

Golden Leopard nomination, Filmmakers of the Present competition, Locarno Film Festival (Switzerland) Competition selection, Kinoshock International Film Festival (Russia) Competition selection, Eurasia International Film Festival (Kazakhstan) “Cinema Without Borders” selection, Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival (Ukraine) Competition selection, Pune International Film Festival (India) Competition selection, Malatya International Film Festival (Turkey) Competition selection, Tbilisi International Film Festival (Georgia) Debut competition selection, Spirit of Fire International Debut Film Festival (Russia)

The Island Within (2020)

Main Competition selection, Sarajevo Film Festival (Bosnia and Herzegovina) International Jury Prize winner, Festival Nouvelles Images Persanes, Vitré (France) Official selection, Black Movie – Geneva International Independent Film Festival (Switzerland) Competition selection, Bosphorus International Film Festival (Turkey) Official selection, Moscow Premiere International Film Festival (Russia) Competition selection, Palić European Film Festival (Serbia) Competition selection, Bridges – East of the West Film Days (Belgium)