Zia Shikhlinsky: “Imran Kasumov is Azerbaijani Ehrenburg”

Interview by Vestnik Kavkaza


At the moment Azerbaijan is marking the 95th anniversary of the birth of writer, screenwriter and scriptwriter Imran Kasumov. Several generations grew up on the films of his scripts – Rhythms of Absheron, Our Street, A Souvenir, Her Big Heart. Azerbaijani director Zia Shikhlinsky recalled the writer in his movie Her Big Heart.

-          When you shot the film about Imran Kasumov, there were memories of Chingiz Aitmatov, Olzhas Suleimanov, Tair Salakhov, and Hayam Mirzade. What did sting you to the quick?

-          Imran Ashumovich is the Azerbaijani Ehrenburg. Because he touched on drama, fiction, scriptwriting. And he was one of the best heads of the Union of Writers [of Azerbaijan].

A special talent is needed to manage such a difficult creative process as the Union of Writers. My friend [contemporary Azerbaijani writer] Natig Rasul-zade said that today it is more difficult to head the Union of Writers, as there are 1500 members of it, while previously there were 300 members. I told him that there were “the 300 Spartans”, while today anyone who has written an article or published a pamphlet can join the Union of Writers. It used to be a long process and careful selection.

Imran Ashumovich had talent. Moreover, he was a very talented person who communicated with people, listened to them, could stand in their shoes. Thus, he helped people a lot in their household problems and creative works.

-          How did you learn about him?

-          I was told about him by my close friend, film director and scriptwriter Hasan Seidbeili. They worked together. The father of my friend, a man who was a living legend, Alish Lemberansky, shared with me very interesting memories. Baku is connected with his name. (Alish Lemberansky is thought to have been the best mayor of Azerbaijan’s capital.) Alish Jamilevich talked about a few people and his memories of them, even though he was a very interesting companion. And I hear a lot of interesting things about him from my uncle, People’s Writer of Azerbaijan Ismail Shikhli, who was a friend of his for years; they worked together.

The most interesting memories were told to me by his driver. You understand that sometimes a driver knows more than family members.

Of course there were problems during shooting the film, but I think it was easy to work, as I knew the man and I heard a lot about him, and only positive things.

-          On a Remote Shore is a legendary movie. A wide audience learned about Mekhti Husein-zade due to this film. What do you think about the personal skills of Imran Kasumov as the country’s patriot?

-          In 1947 a very famous film was shot by Boris Barnet, Secret Agent. Pavel Kadochnikov played the leading role there. After this there were no such films for a long time. And only in 1958 was On a Remote Shore released, a film about a secret agent, a partisan. And it was very popular not only in Azerbaijan, not only in the Soviet Union. It was awarded prizes in Europe, in the Middle East, in the Far East. Imran Ashumovich was a real patriot of his country.