"Ali and Nino" movie screened at Tufts University

Baku, February 5, AZERTAC A film "Ali and Nino" was screened at Tufts University, the United States. The event was organized by the Azerbaijani Embassy in the United States. The premiere of the film, produced by Leyla Aliyeva, vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, was attended by the staff of the University, public figures. Entrepreneur Coach at Tufts University's Fletcher School Rockford Weitz spoke about the historical significance of the film to be displayed. He thanked the film's creative team. Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to the United States Elin Suleymanov said this year the country marks 100th anniversary of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. He noted President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order declaring 2018 as a Year of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. May 28, 1918 marked a landmark event in the history of Azerbaijan when Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first parliamentary republic in the Muslim East, was established. He thanked the film's creative team and hailed the great works done by film's executive producer Leyla Aliyeva. The film was shot in various parts of Baku, as well as in the streets of the historical Old City, Gobustan, Khinalig, Ganja and Gadabay regions. Starring in the film are Adam Bakri as Ali and María Valverde as Nino. Other actors are Halit Ergenc, Mendy Petinkin, Connie Nielson, Riccardo Skamarchio, Homayon Ershadi, Fakhraddin Manafov, Assaad Bab, Numan Acar and others. The film portrays the torrid romance between a Muslim Azerbaijani young man and a Christian Georgian girl in Baku during the period 1918–20. It depicts pre-Soviet Azerbaijan, touching upon the political processes occurring in Azerbaijan before and after the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918). This breathtaking story traverses political, geographic, and religious divides and shows challenges the two young people face on the edge of eras, of West and East, and of Islam and Christianity.