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August 2 is Azerbaijani Cinema Day. This professional holiday for cinema workers was established by the Decree of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev dated December 18, 2000.

On this occasion, the National Library presented both a virtual exhibition and a traditional book exhibition titled “August 2 – Azerbaijani Cinema Day” for its users.

The virtual exhibition features official documents, articles published in the press about our cinema history, milestones of the national film industry, photos, books, and various resources about the lives and creative works of cinema artists.

Those interested in exploring the virtual exhibition can visit the following link:
http://anl.az/el/vsb/Milli_kino_gunu/index.html

The traditional exhibition showcases monographs, textbooks, and literature in Azerbaijani and other languages about the history of Azerbaijani cinema, film chronicles, the creative work of composers and directors in cinema and theater, as well as the life and contributions of artists, actors, directors, and cinematographers who played a significant role in the formation of our national cinema and are inscribed in the history of our culture.

It is worth noting that just two years after the first film screening in France, on August 2, 1898, in Baku, Alexander Michon, secretary of the Scientific-Photographic Society and a photographer, screened his documentary and artistic films such as “Fire of the Oil Fountain in Bibiheybat,” “Farewell Ceremony of His Majesty the Emir of Bukhara,” “Caucasian Dance,” and “Ilishdin.” This date is considered the birth of cinema in Azerbaijan.

In 1916, the short film “In the Kingdom of Oil and Millions” was made based on the eponymous story by writer Ibrahim Bey Musabeyov, followed by the 1917 short artistic film “Arshin Mal Alan,” based on the operetta by Uzeyir Hajibeyov.

In 1923, the Azerbaijan Photo-Cinema Department (AFKI) was established, and on April 28 of the same year, the First State Film Factory (film studio) was opened. The first film produced there was the artistic movie “Maiden Tower,” based on a national legend.

Over the years, the State Film Factory was renamed several times: “Azdovletkino,” “Azerkino,” “Azerfilm,” “Azdovletkinosanaye,” “Baku Film Studio,” and finally “Azerbaijanfilm.” Since 1960, the studio has carried the name of Jafar Jabbarly.

More than two thousand films of various types and genres have been produced at “Azerbaijanfilm.” Many of these films, including “Arshin Mal Alan,” “Shared Bread,” “Birthday,” “Bay of Joy,” “Investigation,” “Naughty,” and others, have been awarded State prizes. Additionally, films like “Stepmother,” “On Distant Shores,” “Our Jebish Teacher,” “The Last Crossroad,” “Nasimi,” “Different Time,” “Yellow Bride,” “Enchanter,” “Buta,” “Cholchu,” “Nabat,” “Downstream,” and others have received awards at international and other film festivals.

The attention and care given to culture, art, and cinema by National Leader Heydar Aliyev are successfully continued today by President Ilham Aliyev. The State Program for the Development of Azerbaijani Cinema for 2008-2018 and the Presidential Decree dated March 1, 2019, on certain measures related to the development of Azerbaijani cinematography clearly demonstrate the country’s high regard for national cinema.

In recent years, the participation and awards received by Azerbaijani films at the world’s most prestigious international film festivals, the increase in funding for film production, the growth of the audience, as well as the organization of “Azerbaijani Cinema Days” in countries such as Georgia, Hungary, Turkey, and Russia have contributed to the global promotion of Azerbaijani cinema and culture.