Nikita Mikhalkov and Vladimir Spivakov: Baku is fantastic city

Baku is a fantastic city, the chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, president of the Moscow International Film Festival, Nikita Mikhalkov, shared his impressions of the capital of Azerbaijan with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza. He said this on the sidelines of a press conference dedicated to the Moscow Cultural Forum, which will be held in the 'Manezh' Central Exhibition Hall on March 25-27.

"I really like Baku. It is a fantastic city. Perhaps it is due to the fact that I have many friends there. But I always leave Baku with the most touching feeling - a feeling of warmth and love. Especially because I was shooting a part of my first film, 'At Home Among Strangers', in Baku," Mikhalkov said.

The director also informed that all the agreements, necessary for shooting the multi-serial film about Russian writer and diplomat Alexander Griboyedov, were reached, but the creative process has been hindered by external circumstances.

"We were going to start shooting a long time ago, 30 years ago, but then the events in Nagorno-Karabakh prevented it. Recently, we found a place in Turkey, but now problems appeared there. In other words, we are ready, but there are circumstances that are still delaying the process. At the same time, all the necessary agreements and permissions have been obtained," Nikita Mikhalkov noted.

The President of the Moscow International House of Music, the artistic director and chief conductor of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia and the state chamber orchestra 'Moscow Virtuosi', Vladimir Spivakov, said that he retained friendly and warm memories of Baku.

Spivakov also informed that in the near future they plan a tour across the South Caucasus. "We will go there at the end of April with 'Moscow Virtuosi', to Georgia and Armenia. And 'Moscow Virtuosi' were in Azerbaijan a few years ago," the conductor said.

In addition, the artistic director and chief conductor of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia spoke about the tours across the North Caucasus, which left an excellent impression.

"Two years ago we traveled across the republics of the North Caucasus. We were in Dagestan, in Chechnya, and in Karachay-Cherkessia, and everywhere we were welcomed with sold out halls. It was very nice and pleasant. And then, of course, a banquet," he noted.

"It amazed me how the elderly are treated in the Caucasus. I wish that we, in Russia, also perceived the older generation like this: the first word belongs to the older one, such aksakal should be treated with respect and love," Vladimir Spivakov added.