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1/11 While doing my research on the role of intelligentsia in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in the late 1980s I came across the story behind the collaboration of Armenian film director Sergei Parajanov and Azerbaijani composer Javanshir Guliyev in “Ashik Kerib” (1988).
2/11 It is definitely a must-watch for everyone interested in the culture of the South Caucasus, together with the other Caucasus-related works of Parajanov, “The Color of Pomegranates” (1968) and “The Legend of the Suram Fortress “ (1985).
3/11 "Ashik Kerib" (literally “the wanderıng poet”) is based on the Azerbaijani/Turkic dastan of 16th century recorded by Mikhail Lermontov during his visit to the Caucasus in the 1830s. The dastan also inspired Zulfugar Hajibeyov to compose “Ashig Garib” opera in 1915.
4/11 The movie had a “Caucasian” cast of Armenian director (with David Abashidze) and cameraman, Armenian and Georgian actors (including a Yezidi Kurd Yuriy Mgoyan starring as Ashik Kerib) and Azerbaijani soundtrack composed by Javanshir Guliyev and performed by Alim Gasymov.
5/11 Javanshir Guliyev recalls Parajanov’s visit to Baku in May 1988: “He was constantly listening to the record of Alim Gasymov with tears in his eyes. It was obvious that this music was touching him deeply”.
6/11 Guliyev also remembers Parajanov’s request of composing a music about “absolute, galactic” love standing above any nationality and geography. Guliyev found an interesting solution by creating a unique mixture of national and Western music played simultaneously.
7/11 In the soundtrack one can hear Shubert's "Ave Maria" and Azerbaijani “Gatar” mugham beautifully intertwined. Similarly, Guliyev mixed "Bayati-Shiraz" and Rondo-Capriccioso of Saint-Saёns. [4:00]
8/11 While the movie was directed in 1988 at the beginning of the Arm-Az conflict, Parajanov was accused by Armenian nationalists for filming a “Muslim” movie. Ironically, he was also threatened by Turkish nationalists while attending the Istanbul Film Festival in 1989.
9/11 In his speech at the Istanbul Festival Parajanov stressed the futility of cruelty and confrontation between the two nations, remembered his new friends gained during the process of the creation of the movie in Baku and finished his speech with a phrase: “God is one”.
10/11 Later Parajanov responded to the nationalists at the premiere of the movie in Moscow : “Many people criticize me for creating this movie during the war. But I finished it and now I want to bow down to the Azerbaijani composer sitting here in front of us at the grand piano”.
11/11 Parajanov was a man of absolute, galactic talent standing above any nationality and geography. He was a true artist. And I would also add, he was a true Caucasian. Rest in peace.
Source available in Russian only: http://druzya.com/kto-est-kto-na-kavkaze/2840-sergey_paradzhanov.html
