Farman Karimzade

Farman Ismayil oglu Karimzade (Azerbaijani: Fərman Kərimzadə; March 3, 1937, Boyuk Vedi village – 1989, Baku) – is an Azerbaijani writer, screenwriter, film director and film producer.^[1]

In 1949, he was deported from his native village to Beylagan city with his family (then the city was called Zhdanov). In 1955, he entered the State Art School named after Azim Azimzade. Later he worked in Beylagan as a teacher. From 1962 to 1965, he studied at All-Russian State University of Cinematography named after S.A.Gerasimov, in Moscow.^[2] After graduating from the university he worked as a translator, managed a department at "Absheron" newspaper, in 1966–1970's, he worked at "Literatura i kultura" ("Literature and culture") magazine. In 1970–1977's he was a member of the board of "Azerbaijanfilm" film studio and was a member of Azerbaijan Union of Writers since 1968.

In 1958, "Size 41 shoes" narrative was published by the writer. This was one of the first attempts of the writer, but despite that, it was full of appeals and freethinking ideas. "The last exhibit" (Azerbaijani: Sonuncu eksponat; 1961) and "A wedding sheep"^[3] works were also dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. "The last exhibit" narrative is a touching story about a poor mother who lost her son in the war. Now seeing in the museum her son's shirt, sewed by her, the mother feels pain, because custodians of the museum have yet looked after the exhibits and her lovely son's shirt is fully moth-eaten.

1980's were the most productive years in Farman Karimzade's literary creativity. Mainly he wrote about historical themes: among Farman Karimzade’s novels are – “Khudaferin bridge" (Azerbaijani: Xudafərin körpüsü; 1981), "Battle of Chaldiran" (Azerbaijani: Çaldıran döyüşü; 1984–1985, about the Safavid-Ottoman war and Shah Ismayil Khatai's life), "Tabriz's pride", "Ols eagle's death" (1988), "Snowy pass" (1986–1987).

Farman Karimzade also worked as the film director in the sphere of cinematography and was the editor in shootings of such films as "Shovkat Alakbarova is singing" (1970), "The last pass" (1971), "Stone suffers" (1975), "Voice of a pipe" (1975), "Dervish is exploding Paris" (1976), "The shah and a servant" (1976) and others. Scenarios of such films as "The last pass" (1971), "Bell" (1973), "Four Sundays" (1974) and "My wife, my children" (1978) belong to him.

Farman Karimzade was the real patriot of his country. After 1988 events, he personally met with politicians, Generals, various high-ranking officials, in Baku and in Moscow. Probably, because of these events Farman Karimzade couldn't bear it, and after a year he died of heart-stroke at the age of 52.

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