It wasn't by mere chance that the first motion picture in 1898 in Baku began with an episode about the "Fire at the Oil Gusher in Bibi-Heybat." This suburb of Baku was Full of oil fields, and there were frequent fires. It was inevitable that the parts of cinema and oil would intersect.First of all, by the turnof last century, oil had already become a symbol of Azerbaijan and Baku. Oil was our main source of wealth and our main cause of problems. It's always been that way - oil, both blessing and curse. The struggle to harness this energy gushing forth has become our destiny. Therefore, it's only natural that Azerbaijani cinema would start with an episode about an oil gusher.
   For example, in 1908, a Russian cameramen filmed filmed the oil fields in the "White City" and "Blacdk City", the popular names for two large districts in Baku at that time.Back in those days, "white" referred to the more residential section of the city and "black" to the industrial part surrounded by derricks and pools of oil. You could see oil eyerywhere feel it, breathe it and even taste it.
   During the Soviet period, the struggle for oil provided fuel for the vast communist propaganda machine. In fact the conquest of nature was one of the most wide-spread Soviet myths. They tried to depict such victories as evidence of the world.All films about oil workers were characterized as "Soviet heroic labor."Needless to say, the passion of the 1970s waned when compared to the enthusiastic response of the 1930s.
   The most consistent expression of this myth was in the film, "Symphony of Oil"(Pumpyansky, 1933).The scenes alternate between gushing oil and struggling oil workers. The more forceful the oil gusher became; the more dramatic the music. The physical labor of the workers was synchronized to the rhythm of the music. Finally, the gusher was conquered and the oil saved, and the workers was synchronized to the rhythm of the music.Finally, the gusher was conquered and the oil saved, and the workers began dancing ecstaticcally.The film was not very long,To tell the truth, it was more like a march or partetic ode, rather than the symphony it was intended to be. The film, "It Happened on the Peschany"(T.Akhundov,1962), concerns a fire on an island that started on November 29, 1961.The blaze raged for three weeks and was finally extinguished only after a hude demolition charge was exploded inside it.Actually, the film could be called a documentary chronicle since the cameramen worked so close to the flames and captured every nuance of the struglgle.
   The legend surrounding Oil Rocks motivated the famous documentary filmmaker Roman Karmen to tackle two films- "A Novel about Caspian Oil Workers" and "Conquerors of the Sea."
   "Conquerors" focused on the story of offshore oil exraction.The main plot of the film is the struggle with a fire which had been built up over the sea on trestles.The filmmakers tried to reduce the overly emotional tone which was typical of so many of these movies.They sought to participate in these people were happy, why they were smiling, what brought them pain and disappointment and what caused them to live so close to the edge of danger. The actual death of one of the heroes of the film - a famous oil-worker-during the process of filmmaking, established a tone of resraint throughout the film.But stil, the Soviet myth abiut oil heroism is evident.
   But let's think about the future.Finally, after 70 years of oppression, Azerbaijan has gained its independence once again. As in the past, Big Oil is influencing Big Poliitics(Policy) and the historical destiny of Azerbaijan.Again, our destiny depends on how well we handle the energy-the oil gushers, that is, whether we gain strength or succumb to weakness.We hope this time that Big Oil will not be the conduit of revolution.
   Just recently, Baku Film Studio made a documentary entitled "The Contract of the Century"- the phrase that Azerbaijanis use to refer to the contract signed in 1994 with 11 oil companies from 7 countries for the gigantic fields of Azer, Chirag and the deep-water section of Gunashli. Of course, the cinema couldn't ignore such an event. Maybe this contract will enable us to make a big film about the big Baku oil in the futune.Such a film, no doubt, will be dranatic, it may even have a tragic ending, but let's hope, at lease, it will be free from ideeological stereotypes.
Documentary films:
1.The ways to the Freedom-1(Kh.Muradov)
2.The ways to the Freedom-2(Kh.Muradov)
3.Arif Babayev(J.Guliyev)
4.The refugees(J.Zeynalov)
5.The center of Garabagh(T.Mammadov)
6.The searching of Gadir(T.Mammadov)
7.The World Of Dada Gorgud(O.Mirgasymov)
8.The people of Udin(H.Mehdiyev)
9.The Echo Of Symgayit(D.Imanov)
10.You're always with me(J.Farajov)
11.Our grief, our pride(J.Guliyev)
12.The Fireland(R.Ismaylov)
13.Shabu -Hijran(T.Mutallibov)
14.The state of Shirvanshakh(N.Feyzullayev)
15.Sheytanbazar(N.Abbasov)
16.Fizuli - 500(T.Mutallibov)
17.The contract of the Century(J.Zeynalov)