Tofiq Taghizade was a distinguished film director who significantly influenced Azerbaijani cinema by skillfully incorporating global cinematic trends into his unique artistic vision, Azernews reports.
In the 1950s, with just a few early works, he introduced a fresh stylistic approach to national cinema, leaving a lasting influence on the country's cultural heritage. His contributions to Azerbaijani film remain unmatched, and his legacy continues to live on.
August 27 marked the commemoration of Tofiq Taghizade, one of the most prominent figures in Azerbaijani film and a People's Artist.
Born on February 7, 1919, in Baku to an educated family, Taghizade initially pursued studies at the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute, enrolling in the Faculty of Energy in 1938. However, his education was disrupted by World War II.
During his third year, he volunteered for the front lines and was severely wounded in battles near Rostov in 1941. Though his time at war ended there, the trauma and memories of the conflict stayed with him for life.
After returning home, Taghizade chose a new path. In 1946, he was accepted into the prestigious All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow to study directing. There, he learned from some of the most respected names in Soviet cinema and found the artistic world he had long dreamed of.
Though he began his career in Moscow, his desire to serve his homeland brought him back to Baku in 1954. He joined the Jafar Jabbarly Azerbaijanfilm Studio and began his career in national cinema.
Taghizade's debut film "Görüş" ("The Meeting"), which portrayed the friendship between Azerbaijani and Uzbek cotton workers, marked the beginning of a successful journey in filmmaking.
Having personally endured the horrors of war, Taghizade felt a deep need to reflect those experiences through cinema. This vision came to life in "Uzaq Sahillərdə" ("On Distant Shores"), a film about Mehdi Huseynzade, an Azerbaijani hero who fought against fascist forces in Italy and Yugoslavia during WWII. The film brought widespread acclaim to its creators and cast.
Over the years, Taghizade directed numerous acclaimed works, including "Əsl dost" ("A True Friend"), "Mateo Falcone", "Mən rəqs edəcəyəm" ("I Will Dance"), "Arşın mal alan" ("The Cloth Peddler"), "Mən ki, gözəl deyildim" ("I Was Not Beautiful"), "Yeddi oğul istərəm" ("I Want Seven Sons"), "Qızıl qaz" ("The Golden Goose"), "Dədə Qorqud", "Babamın babasının babası" ("My Grandfather’s Grandfather’s Grandfather"), "Bağ mövsümü" ("The Garden Season"), "Evin kişisi" ("The Man of the House"), "O dünyadan salam" ("Greetings from the Other World"), and many others.
In his later years, Taghizade even founded a private studio to continue his artistic vision. Unfortunately, his life was cut short before many of his plans could come to fruition. Tofiq Taghizade passed away on August 27, 1998.
