SEVIL (1929) A. Bazirganov, Bella Beletskaya & Cennet | Drama | B&W | Cinema Gem

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Sevil is a 1929 Azerbaijani silent drama film directed by Amo Bek-Nazaryan. It is based on the 1928 play of the same name by Azerbaijani playwright Jafar Jabbarly. The film is notable for its progressive portrayal of women's emancipation in early 20th-century Azerbaijani society.​

Synopsis:

Sevil is set in Baku during the turbulent years of the early 20th century and tells the story of a young Azerbaijani woman’s struggle for identity and liberation in a deeply patriarchal society. The title character, Sevil, is a modest, submissive housewife married to Balaş, a proud and self-serving man who seeks social advancement through wealth and Europeanized manners. While Balaş indulges in luxury and flirts with modernity for personal gain, he remains rigidly traditional in his treatment of Sevil, whom he considers backward and beneath him.

When Balaş becomes involved with another woman and rejects Sevil, casting her and their child aside, Sevil is forced to confront life on her own. What begins as despair gradually transforms into self-realization. Through exposure to revolutionary ideals and a growing sense of her worth, Sevil joins a movement of women advocating for education, independence, and societal change.

The film culminates with a symbolic act of emancipation: Sevil removes her veil, representing a break from the oppressive customs that have confined her. Reborn as a modern woman, she reunites with her now-grown daughter, who embodies the hopeful future of a new generation of free, educated women.

Cast & Crew:

Izzet Orujova – Sevil
Agasadig Garaybeyli – Balaş
Mustafa Mardanov – Atakişi
Bella Beletskaya – Adila
Cennet – Gülüş
A. I. Bazirganov – Əlibəy
Latif Safarov – Gündüz
Rustam Kazimov – Rüstəm bəy
Aziza Mammadova – Dayə
Gasim Zeynalov – Babakişi

Director: Amo Bek-Nazaryan
Writer: Jafar Jabbarly (play), screenplay by Jafar Jabbarly and Grigori Braginsky
Release Date: September 3, 1929
Runtime: Approximately 68 minutes
Country: Soviet Union (Azerbaijan SSR)
Language: Silent film with Russian intertitles
Production Companies: Azdovlatkino, Azerbaijanfilm
Cinematography: Ivan Frolov
Genre: Drama​