The premiere of the feature film "Taghiyev: Oil," which depicts the life and activities of the prominent philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, has been held in London. The screening took place at the prestigious Princess Anne Theatre of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), located in the heart of the UK capital.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the event was attended by Arzu Aliyeva, Head of the Baku Media Center and the film's executive producer, producer Orman Aliyev, director Zaur Gasimli, and People's Artist Parviz Mammadrzayev. The audience included ambassadors and diplomats from Turkiye, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and other nations, as well as officials from the UK Foreign Office, members of the House of Lords, and representatives from the City of London, the Commonwealth, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and bp. Produced by the Baku Media Center with support from the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture, and the Cinema Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the film is the first part of a multi-series project. It portrays Taghiyev’s rise from a mason to a powerful oil industrialist against the backdrop of the late 19th and early 20th-century oil boom in Baku.
Speaking at the event, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to the UK, Elin Suleymanov, highlighted Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev's indispensable role in the economic and cultural development of Azerbaijan. He specifically noted Taghiyev's commitment to education, including the establishment of the first secular girls' school in the Muslim East. The ambassador also drew parallels to the legacy of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, whose 103rd birth anniversary was recently observed, noting his decisive role in Azerbaijan's stability and development. The London screening, following successful presentations in Russia and Los Angeles, serves as a significant cultural initiative to introduce Azerbaijan's history, humanitarian values, and industrial heritage to a global audience.
