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AZERBAIJANI GOVERNMENT PLOTS AGAINST UNION OF AZERBAIJANI CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Azerireport
BAKU. June 21, 2012: Today, a group of well known actors, film
directors and film producers of Azerbaijan established the Union
of Azerbaijani Cinematographers. A union of cinematographers under
a similar name already exists and is headed by Rustam Ibrahimbeyov,
famous Azerbaijani writer and author of many successful movie screens,
including the "Burnt By the Sun" which received the Academy Award
under the foreign movie nomination in 1994. Rustam Ibrahimbeyov
had a fallout with the Azerbaijani government after he started
participating in the work of the Forum of Intelligentsia which sharply
criticized the authoritarianism and corruption in Azerbaijan. The
Azerbaijani government expressed its discomfort with the fact that
Rustam Ibrahimbayov voiced dissent while heading a quasi-state
organization which was intended to trumpet the propaganda line of
the Azerbaijani government. This discomfort was expressed in the
government owned newspapers, the TV channels and Radio, where the
people who described themselves to be "the true intelligentsia"
attacked Rustam Ibrahimbeyov's credentials. The establishment of
the new organization under the same name of the Union of Azerbaijani
Cinematographers followed the unsuccessful attempts of the Azerbaijani
government to unseat Rustam Ibrahimbeyov in the existing Union of
Azerbaijani Cinematographers.
The actress Shafiga Mamedova was elected a chairman of the new Union
of Azerbaijani Cinematographers. The Board membership includes Ayaz
Salayev- screenwriter, director of channel "Medeniyet" Jamil Guliyev,
director of "Space" TV channel, Vagif Mustafayev, film director
Oktay Mirgasimov, screenwriter Ramiz Fataliyev, artists and Mais
Agabekov and Yusif Guliyev, composer Siyavush Karimi, director of
the film studio "Azerbaijanfilm" Mushfik Khatamov , director of the
film studio "Narimanfilm" Nariman Mammadov. The local press was not
invited to the event but the Azerbaijani government was represented
by the Deputy Prime Minister Elchin Efendiyev and the Minister of
Culture Abulfaz Garayev.
Turan News Agency reports that in his speech at the constituent
assembly of a new organization, Vagif Mustafayev, a film director
and the board member of the newly established union, criticized the
Union of cinematographers led by Rustam Ibrahimbeyov and justified
the need for the establishment of an alternative structure.
Turan News Agency attempted to talk to Oktay Mirgasimov to find out
about his position. Mirgasimov said he could not give a comment on
the phone, and promised to do it later. At the same time, he justified
the creation of a new organization, described the existing situation
in the Azerbaijani cinema as "crisis" and expressed a hope that the
situation in the Azerbaijani cinematography would improve.
Another participant of the event, Ayaz Salayev told Turan, that he
was not the initiator of this meeting. "I was invited, and I went,
because I have hopes that the new alliance will bring the development
of the Azerbaijan cinematography," he said.
Turan News Agency managed to get some comments from Rustam Ibrahimbeyov
on this topic. Rustam Ibrahimbeyov said he was not surprised to see
this development and added the following: "Creating another Union at
present is irrational. Moreover, the meeting of a union on creative
activities was attended by the members of the Azerbaijani government,
suggesting the involvement of the authorities in this scheme."
Answering the question if a new union was established as an alternative
to his organization, Ibrahimbeyov said he could not rule out that the
establishment of a new organization was meant to serve that purpose. He
said that it is easy to establish an organization, but the main
thing is the goal of the organization. "Now, if the new union helps
to raise cinema, we will be happy, " he said. "They (the Azerbaijani
government -ed.) did not allow us create a school of filmmakers, the
festival and other initiatives. If the new organization succeeds in
doing all of this, let them do it by all means," said Ibrahimbeyov.
Speaking on how he regarded the transfer of his colleagues to the new
Union, namely the participation of Oktay Mirgasimova, Ayaz Salayev and
several others in the new organization, Ibrahimbeyov said everyone was
free to make a choice. "It is not a question of law; it is a question
of conscience. To be honest, I was surprised by their actions. But as
for Vagif Mustafayev, I am not surprised. Ten years ago, we excluded
him from the Union for unethical behavior," said Ibrahimbeyov
Azerireport
BAKU. June 21, 2012: Today, a group of well known actors, film
directors and film producers of Azerbaijan established the Union
of Azerbaijani Cinematographers. A union of cinematographers under
a similar name already exists and is headed by Rustam Ibrahimbeyov,
famous Azerbaijani writer and author of many successful movie screens,
including the "Burnt By the Sun" which received the Academy Award
under the foreign movie nomination in 1994. Rustam Ibrahimbeyov
had a fallout with the Azerbaijani government after he started
participating in the work of the Forum of Intelligentsia which sharply
criticized the authoritarianism and corruption in Azerbaijan. The
Azerbaijani government expressed its discomfort with the fact that
Rustam Ibrahimbayov voiced dissent while heading a quasi-state
organization which was intended to trumpet the propaganda line of
the Azerbaijani government. This discomfort was expressed in the
government owned newspapers, the TV channels and Radio, where the
people who described themselves to be "the true intelligentsia"
attacked Rustam Ibrahimbeyov's credentials. The establishment of
the new organization under the same name of the Union of Azerbaijani
Cinematographers followed the unsuccessful attempts of the Azerbaijani
government to unseat Rustam Ibrahimbeyov in the existing Union of
Azerbaijani Cinematographers.
The actress Shafiga Mamedova was elected a chairman of the new Union
of Azerbaijani Cinematographers. The Board membership includes Ayaz
Salayev- screenwriter, director of channel "Medeniyet" Jamil Guliyev,
director of "Space" TV channel, Vagif Mustafayev, film director
Oktay Mirgasimov, screenwriter Ramiz Fataliyev, artists and Mais
Agabekov and Yusif Guliyev, composer Siyavush Karimi, director of
the film studio "Azerbaijanfilm" Mushfik Khatamov , director of the
film studio "Narimanfilm" Nariman Mammadov. The local press was not
invited to the event but the Azerbaijani government was represented
by the Deputy Prime Minister Elchin Efendiyev and the Minister of
Culture Abulfaz Garayev.
Turan News Agency reports that in his speech at the constituent
assembly of a new organization, Vagif Mustafayev, a film director
and the board member of the newly established union, criticized the
Union of cinematographers led by Rustam Ibrahimbeyov and justified
the need for the establishment of an alternative structure.
Turan News Agency attempted to talk to Oktay Mirgasimov to find out
about his position. Mirgasimov said he could not give a comment on
the phone, and promised to do it later. At the same time, he justified
the creation of a new organization, described the existing situation
in the Azerbaijani cinema as "crisis" and expressed a hope that the
situation in the Azerbaijani cinematography would improve.
Another participant of the event, Ayaz Salayev told Turan, that he
was not the initiator of this meeting. "I was invited, and I went,
because I have hopes that the new alliance will bring the development
of the Azerbaijan cinematography," he said.
Turan News Agency managed to get some comments from Rustam Ibrahimbeyov
on this topic. Rustam Ibrahimbeyov said he was not surprised to see
this development and added the following: "Creating another Union at
present is irrational. Moreover, the meeting of a union on creative
activities was attended by the members of the Azerbaijani government,
suggesting the involvement of the authorities in this scheme."
Answering the question if a new union was established as an alternative
to his organization, Ibrahimbeyov said he could not rule out that the
establishment of a new organization was meant to serve that purpose. He
said that it is easy to establish an organization, but the main
thing is the goal of the organization. "Now, if the new union helps
to raise cinema, we will be happy, " he said. "They (the Azerbaijani
government -ed.) did not allow us create a school of filmmakers, the
festival and other initiatives. If the new organization succeeds in
doing all of this, let them do it by all means," said Ibrahimbeyov.
Speaking on how he regarded the transfer of his colleagues to the new
Union, namely the participation of Oktay Mirgasimova, Ayaz Salayev and
several others in the new organization, Ibrahimbeyov said everyone was
free to make a choice. "It is not a question of law; it is a question
of conscience. To be honest, I was surprised by their actions. But as
for Vagif Mustafayev, I am not surprised. Ten years ago, we excluded
him from the Union for unethical behavior," said Ibrahimbeyov