August 2 is Azerbaijan Cinema Day. According to the Decree of the great leader Heydar Aliyev dated December 18, 2000, August 2 is celebrated as the professional holiday of cinema workers – Day of Azerbaijani Cinema. Today marks the 126th anniversary of the creation of Azerbaijani cinema. When it comes to cinema, Aydın Kazımzade, who dedicated his whole life and creativity to the development of our national cinema, a film man from head to toe, comes to mind. On the occasion of the National Cinema Day, we met with Aydin Kazimzadeh, film critic, honored cultural worker, honored art worker, Presidential scholarship holder, congratulated him on his professional holiday, and talked about the history of our cinema and its development path.
Publika.az Presents an interview with Aydın Kazımzadeh.
– Aydın Kazımzade is the first person who comes to mind when talking about the history of Azerbaijani cinema. A real cinema man, a man who dedicated his life to the development of our national cinema in all senses of the word. Have a blessed day.
– Thank you. Your attention, remembering me on such a beautiful day is worth whatever you say.
– Let’s start from the beginning. It is well known to everyone that the fact that the history of our national cinema began in 1898 and not in 1916, and the declaration of August 2 as the Film Workers’ Day is directly related to your name. How did you achieve this? How do you remember those years today?
– Every year, when August 2 comes, I have a double holiday. Because in 1963, after graduating from the Faculty of Journalism of Baku State University, I came to the cinema by chance while looking for a job. After getting acquainted with the world of cinema, I saw that it is another world. I stayed here for the rest of the day, and I am still in the cinema to this day. Today is my holiday, because I am a film person, and it is a second holiday for me because I have a small share in the approval of the national cinema day by the great leader.
When he came to work in the field of cinema in 1963, a newsletter in the form of a newspaper was published in the Republican Film Promotion Department. Only the repertoire of films and information about them was given here. I thought I would print it in a newspaper form. I did this as the founder of cinema press in Azerbaijan. At that time, I was thinking a lot about one issue. I was saying that if we have a two-part film “In the Kingdom of Oil and Millions” in 1915, why don’t we celebrate the day it was created or released? It is true that there was no film left at that time, but the documents of this film were stored in the National Library of Azerbaijan. After the creation of the USSR, this decision made by Lenin was applied to all republics, and during the Soviet era, like everyone else, we celebrated August 27 as a film holiday – the day of Soviet cinema. Azerbaijani cinema was left aside. I raised this issue with the manager of “kino prakat”. At that time, the first thing he said to me was: “You are a young man, keep your head down and do your job. Where are you, where is history? Are you here to change the date?” I said, ok. They didn’t know me, I was young. I came to the cinema in 1963, and in 1965 I made a speech with such an initiative. At that time, it was the 50th anniversary of the release of the film “In the Kingdom of Oil and Millions”. They did not let me raise this issue. But in 1966, I had already proven myself, they knew me enough. That’s why I gathered those people that year, we got together with Mammad Gurbanov, chairman of the State Cinematography Committee of Azerbaijan.
Hasan Seyidbeyli and Jamil Alibeyov were also there. Raising the issue at this meeting, I said that it was the 60th anniversary of the release of the film “In the Kingdom of Oil and Millions” in 1976. At that time we were subject to Moscow. Professor Mammad called Moscow and told the chairman of the Union of Cinematography of the USSR that we have such a history and we want to celebrate this historical day and anniversary. While talking on the phone, suddenly teacher Mammad’s color changed, his face turned yellow, he smiled falsely and put down the support. I didn’t dare to ask what was going on. Hasan Seyidbeyli immediately asked what happened to you, teacher Mammad? He said, don’t you see, I am saying that we have a film made in 1915 and this year we want to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the release of the film. From the other side of the support, he tells me what movie, what record? Where is Azerbaijan, where is cinema? What are you talking about? You never had a movie. I don’t consider Central Asia at all. He also said that cinema began to develop in Azerbaijan after the creation of the USSR, and the Russians did all this for you, otherwise you would not have been able to cope with this work alone. This topic was closed with that phone conversation. Suddenly, teacher Mammad said that we are left with Heydar Aliyev.
– That’s what he said?
– Yes, he said that Heydar Aliyev can solve this issue. We prepared an application form for H. Aliyev. The first secretary worked there. Mammad took the letter and went to Heydar Aliyev. As soon as he read the letter, he said that we were late. The anniversary was supposed to be in May, it was less than two months away, so he said that we should celebrate it in December. Heydar Aliyev instructed all ministers to hold the event in December. All newspapers wrote about this event. In December, the expected jubilee event took place in the current Heydar Aliyev Palace. We organized a big exhibition in the foyer of the palace. Guests were invited from all republics of the USSR. Looking around at the exhibition stands, Heydar Aliyev said to invite those guests to come and see that civilization developed and films were made in Azerbaijan even before the creation of the USSR. Mammad Gurbanov arrived with a group of official guests and stopped in front of the exhibition stands. I am right next to him, I was taking interviews. The guests looked at the pictures and said these words to Mammad Guliyev: “If Heydar Aliyev is the head of a republic, of course there will be culture, cinema, and theater here.”
After that day, along with August 27 Soviet Cinema Day, we also celebrate August 2 National Cinema Day by order of the great leader.
– Why August 2? Because the movie “In the Kingdom of Oil and Millions” was released on that date?
– At that time, a photographer named Michon started shooting films in Baku. He also had a photo studio in Baku. In June, Michonne showed small scenes from the movie “In the Kingdom of Oil and Millions” when she performed eye-catching performances at the circus. He made a kind of experiment to see how people perceive this film and how they react. Therefore, we did not take this date as a basis. We thought it was just an experiment. But on August 2, Michon screened the entire movie in the same circus building. It has been officially presented. This is considered the day of our cinema. This is how the national cinema day was born. At that time, many people asked me who is Michonne? One of the traders. Let me explain why they said that. Because at that time, the date of creation of cinema in Azerbaijan was considered to be 1898. But at that time, Micho’s name and his photos were stored in the National Archives. Michonne is described as a French, who became a capitalist and was busy making money. This man lived in Baku for 30 years.
I started researching Micho. It turned out that she wasn’t Michonne at all. He was originally Polish, his mother was a French lady with the surname Michonne. His father’s surname was Brezowski and he is from Poland. His uncle took part in the conspiracy against Tsar Alexander. Fearing this, his father gave up his surname Brezovsky and changed to his wife’s surname. The most important thing is that during the investigation, it turns out that in 1915, the film “In the Kingdom of Oil and Millions” was not made by Michon, but director Boris Svetlov from Firma Joint Stock Company made it on the screen based on Ibrahimbey Musabayev’s novel. Huseyn Arablinski played the lead role in that film. The real history of our cinema began here.
– Mr. Aydın, more than 125 years have passed since that date. A lot has changed. How do you evaluate this history as someone who has worked hard in Azerbaijani cinema?
– In the late 1960s and mid-1980s, Azerbaijani cinema experienced a period of renaissance. This period also coincided with the era of Heydar Aliyev. I liken cinema to the sea. Just as there are swells and waves in the sea, our cinema is like the sea. There are reasons for this. Since the Armenians started to live as neighbors with us, the decline began in the field of cinema as well. I’m not going too far, what this people experienced and what they went through in the 1st and 2nd Karabakh war… All these experiences, like in every field, did not leave an impact on our cinema. I remember well, in the mid-90s, people were already saying that cinema is dead, there is no cinema. When it was said to be dead, I started writing the books, I somehow proved that our cinema is not dead, that the cinema whose history began in 1898 cannot die.
– Since when did our cinema start to revive and develop again?
– Again, after the great leader came to power. In 1993, by his order, the State Film Fund was established. All our films were buried in the base of the Film Studio at that time. The rain had rendered all the tapes useless. The establishment of such an institution was the dream of every person working in the field of cinema. There was a revival with the establishment of the State Film Fund. Sufficient funds were allocated to cinema from the state budget, and our cinema began to revive.
– How about the current situation, are you satisfied?
– To be honest, he is not satisfied yet. I have high hopes after regaining our sovereignty. The film industry requires a lot of money for development. Film production is directly related to money. There must be normal funds to develop it. I think that a lot of work will be done in this direction.
– Mr. Aydın, today enough films and serials are made, and good money is spent. But the quality is not that. What do you think is the reason for this?
– There were people for whom material things were of secondary importance, art came first, now they are gone. They are gone, they are no longer alive. Here’s why. You need to love work, not money. What are the actors given? Penny. But where does this money go? I hear from actors that they get paid very little. The state also allocates some funds, and individual sponsors also provide financial assistance. I have worked as a teacher for almost 20 years. Today’s directors do not know what “plonk” is. If you didn’t take it in your hands, smell it, or spin it, how do you know its taste and what professional work is?!
To be honest, I don’t blame the current generation either. They learn… They do what they find. They are struggling, trying to do something. The main thing is that they want to do business. I support young people. They were the leading force at the moment. I always tell them, don’t stop, do what you can. Don’t be discouraged even if people criticize you. I will honestly admit that good TV series have been filmed in recent times. We didn’t have serials before. Tofig Ismayilov shot the 3-series movie “Towards the Volcano”, and that’s it. The series was filmed and presented to us by the generation after us. For God’s sake, I will say that there are not few good ones among them. I watched the TV series “Right of Conscience” from the first episode to the last. Rovshan Isag’s directorial work. Rovshan is a professional in his work. I watched the TV series “Khayanat”, I like it, there was a good actor’s work. Do you know that all the films we made during the Soviet era were good? Never! There were so many weaklings in them…
And now we’re going on a rampage. The older generation no longer exists. Oktay Mirgasimov is the only one left. The field belongs to the youth.
– Your hope for the future of Azerbaijani cinema is optimistic and your expectations are high.
– Of course, it will get better with time. A person should look carefully at tomorrow and think well. Although I’m retired, I’m still creative, I’m working on my books, and all of these books are directly related to cinema. If I complete the second volume of the two-volume “Azerbaijan Cinema Chronicle”, I will have presented my 36th book.
Age is such an age that today I am here, tomorrow I am gone. That’s why I want to write as much as I have time and energy. All this is a history for future generations.
Jamila Hatamkhanova
PHOTO: Elnur Mukhtar
#Aliyev #solve