Fakhraddin Manafov: "Cooling of Russian-Azerbaijani relations is unthinkable"

Today the World Cup finals in rhythmic gymnastics started at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku. Qualifying events for the individual performances of the gymnasts in exercises with hoop and ball, as well as a group of exercises with five ribbons will take place there. Azerbaijan is represented at the event by Marina Durunda and Jala Piriyeva, as well as the national team in group exercises – Siyana Vasileva, Aleksandra Platonova, Diana Doman, Zeyneb Chelep and Aisha Bayramova. Many well-known Azerbaijani and Russian representatives came to support them. Soviet and Azerbaijani theater and film actor, People's Artist of Azerbaijan Fakhraddin Manafov, was among them. He agreed to answer several questions of Vestnik Kavkaza. 

- How did you get on the tribune of the gymnastic arena?

Frankly speaking, I have come here for the first time in my life. I am 61 years old, I love sports, sometimes I play football. I also like horse riding. But I have always wanted to see what gymnastics is. I have watched it on TV since childhood. I’d like to express my gratitude to the leadership of our country for the organization of this fantastic event in my country. 

And everyone can come here and see the competitions. I am a man of the 60s and the 80s. At that time you could watch it only on TV. Gymnastics was something unattainable. Now I have friends whose granddaughters are engaged in artistic gymnastics. Frankly speaking, I came to the World Cup in order to see these young children and was impressed. Being a man of the theater and films, I have watched a lot of shows. I can surely say that their performances impressed me. They were at the level of theater performances. Something like Chekhov or Dostoevsky. I am serious. There is so much drama and excitement in the performances! For example, when [Lebanese gymnast Alice] Sadeq dropped the hoop my heart skipped a beat. Then I saw that it was like in the theater when an actor forgets his lines or a lamp bursts. I shed a tear when our Jala Piriyeva dropped her hoop due to excitement. After all, she is the mistress of the podium. This impression was fabulous.

- As a fan of gymnastics with experience can you assess the athletes’ performances from the Azerbaijani team?

- Marina Durunda is a very strong athlete. But, of course, we should not deny the strong Russian school. When representatives of the Russian Federation enter the arena the whole atmosphere changes immediately. Our athletes are a bit weaker, but in general they are gradually improving their skills. I believe that we will receive a worthy place among the best.

- You compared gymnastics with art. How is the national film industry developing in Azerbaijan now?

- It is not without problems, but, thank God, we have new names among young directors. We have a few extremely interesting directors. We have a pleiad of young actors and actresses. But I think we still need some time. It is difficult to leave the old school so quickly, as we got used to it. "Moscow was not built in a day…"

- Baku is being built faster...

- Let them learn from us how to build, live and celebrate. Every morning I am pleased to wake up. I open my eyes and say, "God, thank you that I was born in this country, I live here and I am a citizen of this country." I absolutely sincerely say it. God bless our government, our esteemed President, Mehriban Aliyeva and Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Aliyev Foundation. These people are working all day and night for the benefit of people and in the name of the country. It's great. Today terrible things are happening in the world, but, fortunately, there is a thinking government in Azerbaijan that cares for the people. May God let it always be. I am happy that I live in this country.

- How do you appreciate the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan in the humanitarian sphere?

- I am a Russian speaking person who graduated from the Russian school. I can read poems by Pushkin, Blok. I play at the Samad Vurgun Russian Drama Theatre in Russian. If you walk through the streets of Baku and knock on every door, in every yard everyone speaks in Russian there. I rarely see anyone who does not know Russian. It seems to me that it is unthinkable not to speak Russian. Our countries are closely intertwined in all areas. A ‘cooling’ of our relations is unthinkable.