THE CHAIRMAN OF AUF: THE CINEMA SPHERE IS NOT IN A GOOD CONDITION IN AZERBAIJAN

Azerbaijan Union of Filmmakers` chairman, People’s Artist Rasim Balayev gave an interview to newspaper “525th”.

He answered the questions about the election for being chairman to the union, the state of Azerbaijani cinema, intended plans and his creativity in an interview:

“When the chairmanship offer came, I was a little hesitant, but later I accepted it. I worked together with Rustam Ibrahimbekov for 23 years. I have observed his management skills. May God bless us to continue our work worthily after Rustam and to be useful for our cinema as a team. For now, we are doing our jobs, but I can’t say that “we are prospering”. Because today local cinema industry is not in a good condition regrettable. I have always said that if there is no cinema, there is no need for its union. By the decision of Mr. President, the Agency has been established recently. This has somehow increased our hope and we believe that, it will be better.”

Regarding the main reason of current situation of Azerbaijani cinema, Rasim Balayev associated it to have various reasons: “There was a period of change, our old, experienced actors and directors passed away. There was an All-Union State Institute of Cinematography  (current VGIK)  which was training film professionals. We have almost lost contact with it. They were giving room to us every year. Now there is no interest and students are also not sent. That’s why from the educational point of view, professional directors, cinematographers, actors, screenwriters are not enough. During the Soviet era, there was a proper structure. After the collapse of the Soviet, it was vital to think of a new one, but no one thought of it. As a result of these, we are suffering today.”

Speaking about the deficiency, he underlined that there aren`t strong written script and director approach. “TV shows are not real films. Imagine, a person who does not know directing or those who once shot weddings are now making films. Directing of cinematography is quite hard work, it has its own rules, which are not followed. There are talented actors, both young and old, who are right for the film, but unfortunately, they are not invited. The director has to discover and bring them to the stage. An actor is trained by a director and develops in a good work, dramaturgy. These are all related to each other. In the case of any absence, others are not obtained.

The chairman also noted that there is film business notion, which is not developed in our country today: “Maybe that’s why some talents get lost. There used to be a USSR-sized place, where films were producing here but was also being shown in Vladivostok. Today we don’t live like that anymore. The film should be made in such a way for being successful in international film festivals and let some countries buy the successful ones. So you can have successful box office. Physical strength and health are also necessary for being able to be filmed. A talented actor doesn’t just mature arbitrarily, he/she needs to fished out and raised.”

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