The Man of the House

The plot of the film is taken from the legend of the Azerbaijan Maiden Tower. According to legend shirvanshah fell in love with his daughter and wanted to marry her. Learning of this daughter Shirvanshah jumped from the top of the tower in the Caspian Sea.

Religiously themed early Soviet propaganda film in Azerbaijan against Islam. Unlike earlier propaganda films in the region, this was actually made by an (nearly) all Azeri cast and crew and directed by an Azeri filmmaker that would go on to be famous amongst his own people, despite his early collusion with the new ruling government. At the center of the film is a greed Molla (holy man in Azeri Islam) who has been cheating one of the local peasants for years out of all types of goods and services, and then delighting over his success in an very un-religious, specifically un-Islamic, way. Once the Revolution takes place and the Bolsheviks arrive, the peasant is empowered and realizes the deception on the part of the Molla and takes him to the newly set up "People's Court," where is finds justice and the Molla is punished.

"Buta" is the story of a lonely 7-year old boy (named Buta), who lives in a mountain village with his grandmother. He is befriended by an old man, a liquid soap merchant who once loved (and lost) Buta's grandmother. The old man's friendship and wise advice helps Buta to overcome his difficulties in life. Buta's grandmother, in the meantime, is weaving a special carpet in memory of Buta's mother. The carpet features a special pattern (also called "Buta"), which represents love. The boy is inspired by his grandmother's work, and decides to make his own "buta" made of rocks and stones, high on the top of the mountain...

The story developed during XX century in Russian empire, Azerbaijan. Two circus actors Rustam and his friend San Sanich travel to a village where Rustam was born after long years of absence, to burry his aunt. After burring his aunt, friends decide to stay in her house for couple of days. A local wealthy inhabitant of the village Farzali bek, is looking for oil, and finds out that the land which now officially owned by Rustam might have some oil repositories. He learns that Rustam is back and wants to take him out, to put his hands on valuable land. A young theater singer Teymur is in love with Farzali bey's beautiful daughter, Telli, but has nothing to offer to marry her. Yet he decides to speak with her father. While planning to "sell" his daughter to one of other wealthy bey's son, Farzali bey still promises that if Teymur will kill Rustam, he will let Telli marry him. Rustam and his friend San Sanich defend Teymur, but after talking to him become friends. They decide to help ...

The historical film about great Azerbaijan poet and philosopher Nizami Ganjavi's life.

A new teacher arrives in a remote mountain village, where the old traditions still hold sway.

The heroic Koroghlu is a poor youngster who leads a peasants' revolt against the tyrannic Khan.

Biopic about general Hazi Aslanov, who died fighting Germans in WW2.

Set in Baku at the turn of the 20th century, a young successful businessman Asgar wishes to marry. He wants his bride to be the choice of his heart, however, Azerbaijani tradition restricted him from communicating with the lady as a lover before marriage. So Asgar decides to disguise himself as a mere cloth peddler and the young woman Gulchohra falls in love with him.

The investigator Seyfi Ganiyev runs the case of an illegal mercery shop's head Murad Abiyev, who confessed in embezzlement of one million rubles from public funds. Abiyev is also accused of the murder of an underage girls that occurred in Riga shortly after Abiyev saw her. He denies his guilt, but does not name the perpetrators though he knows them, despite the fact that he is facing the death penalty. The investigator understands that some high-ranking officials stand behind Abiyev, but he has no proof. Ganiyev seeks to obtain from the prisoner the whole truth to bring the criminals to justice.

Set in Baku at the turn of the 20th century, a young successful businessman Asgar wishes to marry. He wants his bride to be the choice of his heart, however, Azerbaijani tradition restricted him from communicating with the lady as a lover before marriage. So Asgar decides to disguise himself as a mere cloth peddler and the young woman Gulchohra falls in love with him.

Film exposes the corruption and the decadence of the late Soviet bureaucracy in Azerbaijan SSR through the eyes of a naive Azerbaijani adult man, Hatem.

In a Azerbaijan, in the beginning of this century, the first films made in the history of cinema are shown.The characters meet each other in a room. Three characters who will witness the linking up of their destinies through their common love for this new captivating art.

The film portrays the life of the legendary Azerbaijani guerrilla of the Second World War Mehdi Huseynzadeh, who fought the Nazi forces in the present-day Italy and Slovenia, hence the film's name On distant shores referring to the Adriatic Sea.

The movie tells about the tragedy of miserable people who turned to dogs. A group of people who desperately seeks for a job is abducted and forced to labor like slaves.

The film is about famous Chechen ballet and folk dancer Mahmud Essembayev's life.

Matteo Falcone is an Azerbaijani short drama film based on Prosper Merimée's like-named story from 1829. Matteo Falcone is a successful Corsican, who lives with his wife Giuseppa and 10-year-old son Fortunato. One day he leaves home with Giuseppa, leaving Fortunato alone.

Popularly known by the name of the main character, "Mashadi Ibad" was based on a musical comedy by composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov and written in the early 1900s. The story is based on the age old-theme of a beautiful young woman Gulnaz who falls in love with a young man Sarvar but is obliged to marry someone else.

The story is set during an upsurge in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and revolves around an old, sick ex-forestry worker and his wife Nabat, whose son has died in battle.

In Soviet Azerbaijan, a divorced Armenian couple fights over the custody of their daughter, Ashen. Stolen from one parent to another, Ashen's guardians are tragically killed in the bloody war surrounding them. Will the arrival of a new savior finally bring Ashen freedom? Official selection of the Global Lens Collection presented by the Global Film Initiative.