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“Taghiyev: Oil” premieres in Hollywood as Azerbaijan’s Oscar submission gains international attention

10 December 2025 14:44 (UTC +04:00)

The presentation of the feature film “Taghiyev: Oil” took place in the USA, the PR and Media Relations Department of the Baku Media Center told APA.

The feature film “Taghiyev: Oil,” produced by the Baku Media Center, was presented in Los Angeles, the center of the US film industry – Hollywood.

It was noted that the film was screened for representatives of Hollywood’s film industry at “Ross House,” one of the city’s well-known venues where film professionals gather. At the event, attended by over 100 guests, a Q&A session with the film’s director, Zaur Gasimli, was held after the screening.

The event is another successful step in promoting the film “Taghiyev” internationally and bringing Azerbaijani cinema to a wider global audience.

Recall that the film “Taghiyev: Oil” has been officially selected from our country as a candidate in the “Best International Feature Film” category for the 98th Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (“Oscar”) Awards. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (“Oscar”) will announce the shortlist for the “Best International Feature Film” category on December 16, 2025, and the main nominations on January 15, 2026. The award ceremony will take place on March 15, 2026, in Los Angeles.

The film was produced by the Baku Media Center with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture, and ARKA. “Taghiyev: Oil” is the result of the joint work of a strong creative team. The head producer Arzu Aliyeva, the producer Orman Aliyev, the director Zaur Gasimli, the screenwriters Ismayil Iman, Asif Isgandarli, and Zaur Gasimli, the cinematographer Vladimir Artemyev, the production designer Sabuhi Atababayev, the costume designer Vusal Rahim, and the composer Etibar Asadli, played an important role in the success of the film.

The historical characters in the film are portrayed by a professional cast, including People’s Artist Parviz Mammadrzayev (Taghiyev), Gurban Ismayilov, Honored Artists Rasim Jafar, Elshen Rustamov, and Natavan Hajiyeva.