NEWS

In the North of Azerbaijan lies one of the country`s oldest villages – Lahij, that was once the copper mining hub producing copperware exported across the Middle East.

Copper craftsmanship of Lahij is the traditional practice of making and using copperware.

Located on the left bank of the Girdimanchay River in the country’s Ismayilli district at an altitude of 1,375 meters above sea level, Lahij has long been famous for weapons and utensils, which are made of copper. The dishes and weapons made by the coppersmiths of Lahij were famous in the Caucasus and willingly sold out.

Local craftsmen still continue the work of their ancestors: they are copper workers, tanneries, potters, blacksmiths, masters of hats, wood carvers. The village is also known for its masters producing carpets, souvenirs and national clothes. The larger community of people using the copperware in daily life is scattered in many regions of Azerbaijan.

For Lahij copper masters, the process of making copperware consists of several stages: buying copper from local copper-producing wholesalers (or recycling), managing the making process and selling final copperware directly from their workshops (‘misgerkhana’). The process of copperware making in Lahij (depending on the types of copperware) generally consists in smelting the copper, shaping copper sheets, soldering and polishing. The most important final stage requires most of masters’ time and effort and consists in ornamental decorative engraving of the polished copperware with different vegetative patterns reflecting craftsmen’s traditional views and knowledge about their environment and cultural values.

Today, copper tableware made in Lahij is on display in some of the world’s most famous museums, including the Louvre in Paris and it's highly valued locally too.

Lahic, as historical-cultural reserve, has also been inscribed in the Great Silk Road international tourist route.

The Lahij copper craftsmanship was included in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 10th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage held in the Namibian capital of Windhoek on from November 30 to December 4, 2015.

The tradition of bathing is considered an integral part of the Azerbaijani culture. The country is famous for its beautiful old bath-houses (hammams).

The hammams became a place not just to cleanse oneself, but became a social element of city life.

This was Baku residents' favorite spot to discuss recent events or to get ready for wedding ceremonies.

The bathhouses also known as hammams are under state protection as one of the country's most remarkable architectural monuments.

With its majestic architectural wonders, the Old City hides numerous bathhouses including the famous Gasim-bay hammam.

The bathhouse was constructed in the 17th century by millionaire and philanthropist Gasim-bay near the Salyan door (gate).

It is often called "Shirin" (sweet) as the tea here was given together with sweets and pastries.

The hammam was built in all the traditions of Shirvan-Absheron architecture. The exterior consists of domes located on a low-rise building.

The main domes located above the central part of the bath have the shape of an octagon. Inside there is a vestibule, followed by dressing rooms and baths with a cruciform dome and cameras in the corners.

There is also a swimming pool and a stove. In addition, a corridor was created by combining both corner cells into a single space.

Water supply and heating were ensured using ceramic pipes located in the walls and under the floor.

The bath is included in the list of protected by the state monuments of history and culture located on the territory of Azerbaijan. It is considered to be the second most famous bathhouse in Baku.

Due to their importance in preparing for prayer, bathhouses were often built in close proximity to mosques. Therefore, Gasim-bay built a hammam next to his mosque.

Over the past 30 years, the bathhouse has been closed to visitors. Restoration work will be carried out in the bathhouse in near future.

Over the past year, Azerbaijan's film industry has achieved major success at the international level.

Around 40 feature films, documentaries and animated films were produced last year.

The list of the country's achievements in cinematography is not over yet. Let's look through more achievements in the country's film industry in 2021.

Patriotic films

The documentary "Shusha, you are free!" was premiered last year on the eve of Victory Day, celebrated on November 8.

The film was co-produced by Baku Media Center and the Salnamafilm studio with the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry's support.

The film provides insight into some interesting details of the "Shusha operation", one of the brightest pages of Azerbaijan's modern military history.

The director of the film is Javidan Sharifov, producers are Nazim Huseynov and Orman Aliyev.

Moreover, the historical documentary "We" was also presented last year. The film tells about the bravery of the servicemen who fought on the front line for 44 days and the unity of the Azerbaijani people supporting the army.

The author of the idea and the director of the film is Orman Aliyev, the producer is the director of the Azerbaijanfilm studio Fariz Ahmadov.

Oscar nomination

Rufat Hasanov's film "The Island Within" has been selected as the Azerbaijani entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards. The 94th Academy Awards ceremony will be held in March.

The film tells about Seymur Tahirbayov, who is one of the world’s leading chess grandmasters. A few weeks before the most important game of his career, he secretly travels to an island inhabited by just one resident in order to rediscover himself.

"The Island Within" was shot by the Azerbaijanfilm and Debut film studios in partnership with Arizona Productions, Coyote Cinema and Mandarin Agency by the order of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry.

The film was post-produced by the National Film and Animation Center under the French Culture Ministry and the Baku Media Center.

International partnership

The film industry is one of the important areas of Azerbaijani-Turkish cultural cooperation. Azerbaijan and Turkey will further enhance cooperation in the film industry.

In 2021, Azerbaijan and Turkey produced the joint documentary "Fulya".

The film tells about CNN-Turk TV military reporter Fulya Ozturk and cameraman Khalil Kahraman who have played a major role in conveying the truth about the 2020 Karabakh war to the world.

The film was shot at CNN Turk's headquarters in Istanbul as well as in Ganja, Tartar, Barda and Fuzuli. Fulya Ozturk arrived in Azerbaijan to participate in the filming. The film's screenwriter and director is Tahir Tahirovich.

Moreover, Netflix also expressed interest in cooperation with Azerbaijan. However, there are certain standards that Azerbaijani films must meet. Netflix and a number of streaming services will need a license to continue broadcasting in Azerbaijan.

Recognition at major film festivals

In 2021, many local films were successfully screened at international film festivals.

Last year, Elvin Adigozal's film "Bilasuvar" was awarded at the 3rd Moscow Premiere International Film Festival of the Commonwealth Countries. The film won a special jury prize for the best filmmaker's work.

The film "Bilasuvar" tells about the life of the residents, essential human qualities and relationships that reflect the inner essence of people.

A documentary "The Last One" was named best at the Minsk International Film Festival Listapad. The documentary also won the Kazimierz Karabasz Award at the Man in Danger Media Festival in Poland.

"The Last One" is about the last inhabitant of the Kurdili island, Vitaly Pronin. In 1981, as a result of rising water levels in the Caspian Sea, Kurdili, once a bustling island, became uninhabitable. Most of the population moved from the island. No one lived there anymore except for 68-years-old Vitaly.

The film was produced by the Baku Media Center and the Salnamafilm studio with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry.

The executive producer of the film is Arzu Aliyeva, producers - Orman Aliyev and Nazim Huseynov, film director - Fariz Ahmadov,  scriptwriters - Esmira Ayyub and Fariz Ahmadov, cinematographer - Mateusz Czuchnowski.

Meanwhile, Teymur Gambarov's film "Gukhuroba" received a special prize at the Umut 2021 International Forum of Young Cinema.

The film narrates about a taxi driver who fulfills a friend's request to deliver a wedding dress for his daughter from Baku to the highland of Gukhuroba village.

Baku International Short Film Festival

The 12th Baku International Short Film Festival (BISFF) was held in Baku last November.

Only 26 films out of 82 were submitted to the national competition program. Some 30 films from 18 countries were included in the international competition program.

As a result of the partnership with the British Council Azerbaijan, four films nominated and won by the British Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2020-2021 were screened as part of the festival.

The 12th Baku International Short Film Festival was highly appreciated by the audience.

Shirulla Imanov was one of the most virtuoso tar players in Azerbaijan from the 1930s.

The choice of the creative path of Shirulla Imanov in his youth was influenced by Zulfugar Hajibayov's opera  "Ashig Garib" (1916)  and Muslim Magomayev's opera "Shah Ismayil" (1919).

After that, he decided to perform on the stage. Years later, his dream came true.

Shirulla Imanov became a soloist at the Mirza Fatali Akhundov State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater and the Muslim Magomayev State Philharmonic.

His work is closely connected with the national opera - Shirulla Imanov accompanied on tar in Muslim Magomayev's opera "Shah Ismayil", Zulfugar Hajibayov's "Ashig Garib" and Uzeyir Hajibayov "Sheikh Sanan". The musician also performed as a mugham singer in "Ashig Garib".

Moreover, Shirulla Imanov also shared his experience with young musicians and vocalists of the Asaf Zeynalli Music School.

Shirulla Imanov performed and was friends with such outstanding mugham singers as Khan Shushinsky, Talat Gasimov, Hajibaba Huseynov, Abulfat Aliyev, Bahram Mansurov, Mammadali Aliyev, Gurban Pirimov and many others.

He also accompanied and traveled with such famous performers of folk songs and mugham like Shovkat Alakbarova, Jabbar Garyagdioghlu, Sara Gadimova, Fatma Mehraliyeva, Shovkat Mammadova, etc.

The International Mugham Center will honor the memory of tar musicians on January 13.

The concert will bring together well-known cultural and artistic figures who will share their memories about the musicians, including Honored Artists Tayyar Bayramov, Sabuhi Ibayev, Ilkin Akhmedov, Sabuhi Jafarov, Sahib Pashazade, laureate of mugham contests Sabina Arabli and others.

Galaalti mineral water is a natural healing mineral table water, which in Azerbaijan is taken after meals (mainly after lunch and dinner), as well as for the treatment of various diseases and for other purposes.

The healing properties of essential oils have been known for a long time. The first mentions of its therapeutic effect in the literature date back to 1578. Its unique name means a lot - it is the only healing water with a high organic content from an oil source.

Many people associate the name Naftusia with the resort of Truskavets. However, as a result of many years of use, the water resources and organic matter of Truskavets were depleted. However, many do not know that in addition to Truskavets there are other sources of mineral water, for example, the Galaalti resort in Azerbaijan. Contains phenol, aliphatic acids and trace elements. Hydrogeological, physicochemical and biochemical studies carried out by scientists have shown that the mineral water produced in Transcarpathia (Truskavets) is identical in composition to Naftusia. Before the discovery of the Galaalty mineral water, the water of Truskavets "Naftusia" was the only one in the USSR.

Mineral water was found in 1969 in the foothills of a forest at the top of the village of Galaalty, 20 km from Shabran district. 7 sources of this water were found in the forest. They also have large reserves. The Galaalty sanatorium, located in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus, at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level, has been operating since 1976. Treatment in the sanatorium is carried out with natural waters from the territory of the village of Galaalty. Locals call this healing water "Naftsu", that is, oily water. "Naftsu" is distinguished by a pungent smell and taste. Daily debit 20-40 min. l-dir. This is bicarbonate-calcium-sodium water with a mineralization of 0.8 g / l.

Galaalti water is used in various forms to treat urinary stones. It is original both in composition and in physiological effects on the human body. Due to its low mineralization (0.78 g / l) and high content of organic substances (8.35-23.8 mg / l), it stimulates the excretion of gallstones and sand from the kidneys, gallbladder, urinary tract and biliary tract, reduces the lithogenicity of urine and bile. (tend to form stones), i.e. eliminates the risk of stone formation. It normalizes metabolism in the body, has an alkalizing effect on blood and urine, reduces the formation of uric acid and promotes its excretion from the body, reduces the acidity of gastric juice, reduces the permeability of cell membranes, reduces bleeding, has an anti-inflammatory effect, increases urine output, removes excess fluid. Due to its immunological effect, it restores the body's defenses, helps to eliminate inflammatory processes in organs and tissues, removes metabolic products and toxic substances, thereby preventing premature aging.

Galaalti water cannot be stored for a long time. This water should be used locally, so, packaging is not recommended. Because in a day, ammonia compounds are formed in this water.

The Academy Awards will have a host when the ceremony takes place on March 27. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Craig Erwich, president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment, during a virtual press tour.

Erwich didn't share names of a potential host, however. "It might be me," he joked. ABC also said the ceremony will take place again at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Last year, the awards moved to the historic Union train station in Downtown Los Angeles with a small crowd of nominees and guests as a safety measure against Covid-19.

The 2019 Oscars was the first in 30 years not to have a host. Comedian Kevin Hart, who was originally lined up to present the live ceremony, stepped down after being slammed on social media for the homophobic tweets he had posted in the past, for which he later apologised.

That year, the Oscars opened with a performance by rock band Queen, celebrating the success of the film Bohemian Rhapsody. The reviews of the ceremony were well received, so broadcasting company ABC and the Academy Awards decided to go with a no-host format in 2020, too.

Amid the pandemic, the 2021 Oscars had a select number of A-list celebrities in attendance and the one-hour event was streamed across different times to accommodate time zones.

In 2018, US comedian Jimmy Kimmel was the last host of the Academy Awards, after also serving in the role in 2017. Other hosts over the past decade have included Chris Rock, Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen DeGeneres, Seth MacFarlane, Billy Crystal, James Franco and Anne Hathaway.

Ratings for the telecast have fallen in recent years, dropping to a record low of 10.4 million people in the US in 2021. Viewership of other awards shows has also declined.

Nominations for the 94th Academy Awards will be announced on February 8. The ceremony will take place on March 27.

Euronews has prepared a program about Azerbaijani folk songs and dances,Report informs.

Traditional Azerbaijani dance lies at the heart of the Azerbaijani culture, combining national music, choreography, and storytelling, according to the Euronews website.

The folk dances of Azerbaijan are rooted in ancient heritage and history and vary hugely in style, from the beautifully intricate to the impressively athletic.

Founded in 1938, the Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble has performed around the world.

When it comes to the costumes, hair, and make-up, no detail is forgotten.

The dance director must compile a diverse and exciting program that showcases not only the steps but the costumes, too.

Saina Ahmedova is a Dance Teacher at the Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble and she explained the dance style.

"Some difficult dance elements are typical for the Azerbaijani female dances, namely chest movements, accentuating the eyes, as well as a combination of both," said Ahmedova.

"Also, dancing with the glasses," Ahmedova added. "The glasses filled with syrup are balanced on the palms, and dancers have to make sure it does not spill while they dance."

Rufat Xalilzade is an Artistic Director with the dance group and he said the dance is challenging for the men too.

"Azerbaijani male dances depict an eagle spreading its wings on the top of the mountain, and getting ready to fly. See some of the dance elements the dancer performs on his toes, and those are truly difficult to perform."

"In general, men’s dances are a true competition, it is like they are saying: 'I will jump higher than you, perform the most difficult element even faster.' This competition is in itself the symbol of braveness and manliness, and this is what the dance is portraying."

Azerbaijan is looking for its Eurovision 2022 song.

The Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company  (ITV) has made an open call for potential Eurovision 2022.

All entries must be sent to song@eurovision.az no later than January 31. Eurovision 2022 song should not exceed 3 minutes. 

The compositions (lyrics and music) must not have been commercially released before September 1, 2021. 

The participant of the qualifying round should provide a brief information about himself.

The Azerbaijan delegation in Eurovision 2022 is led by famous composer and producer Isa Melikov.

Meanwhile, Italian rock band Maneskin took the first place at Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "Zitti e buoni". It's the third time Italy wins Eurovision. The second place went to France, while Switzerland ranked third.

Opera singer, People's Artist Yusif Eyvazov will perform at the Mariinsky Theater on January 5.

The opera singer will perform the parts in Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Troubadour". He will share the same stage with the Russian operatic soprano Anna Netrebko and mezzo soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk. 

"Troubadour" is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto largely written by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El trovador (1836) by Antonio Garcia Gutierrez. The opera premiered at the Teatro Apollo in 1853.

It is considered Gutirrrez's most successful play, often described as a high flown, sprawling melodrama.

Known for his beautiful voice, People's Artist Yusif Eyvazov is a regular guest at the world’s leading opera houses. His name is included in the book "The Best Tenors of the World".

The unique sound of his voice and his vibrant stage presence allow him to combine an active opera career with numerous concert performances.

The opera singer has appeared on numerous recordings for Deutsche Grammophon including a complete recording of Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" live from the Salzburg Festival and with his spouse, soprano Anna Netrebko's on the cross-over album "Romanza".

In 2017, Yusif Eyvazov was awarded the title of People's Artist of Azerbaijan.

The Russian Ethnographic Museum will hold a large-scale exhibition on the theme of arts and crafts and the culture of the Russian people in Baku.

The exhibition is expected to open at the National Carpet Museum this fall.

The museum visitors will be able to enjoy the Russian traditional costumes of the early 20th century.

Natalia Shabelskaya's extensive collection also includes colorful headdresses, silk scarves, samples of old embroidery and much more.

In the mid-February 2021, the Russian Ethnographic Museum hosted an exhibition "Weaving the thread of fate into the carpet ... Decorative and applied art of Azerbaijan" prepared in partnership with the National Carpet Museum.

The exposition displayed over 100 exhibits, including  40 carpets and carpet products as well as other works of decorative and applied art by Azerbaijani artists of the 19th–20th centuries.

Russian and Azerbaijani experts conducted research on the samples of the Azerbaijan's carpet weaving and decorative and applied art stored at the Russian Ethnographic Museum. The most interesting ones were selected for the exhibition.

The Russian Ethnographic Museum  also presented a family project "Flying Carpet: Journey to the East" which provided insight into Azerbaijani culture and traditions, as well as the symbolism of oriental ornaments and carpet making techniques.