International Cinema Day is celebrated on December 28th.
       
The emergence of cinematography begins with the “magic lamp” (lat. Laterna Magica), shown in the 20th century. Using this device, a sequence of images drawn on glass could be projected onto a wall (like a slide projector). The device was controlled manually.
       
In 1832, the German Simon Stampfer and the Belgian Joseph Plato made a “living wheel” at the same time, without knowing each other. This wheel worked on the principle of a magic lamp. By rotating it, it was possible to obtain smooth moving frames because of sequential movement of images on it.
      
In 1845, engineer Franz von Uchatius invented a new device based on a combination of these two devices. However, this was not suitable for displaying long scenes.
      
The first films were based on cartoons. The further development of the film related to photography. After Joseph Niepce developed a method for holding light on a specific surface, Louis Daguerre took this field one step further and produced his Daguerreotype device in 1839. Thanks to this, for the first time it was possible to obtain a reflection of nature. Daguerreotype is the first technically developed and widespread method of photography on a metal plate coated with silver iodide.
   
Before the advent of the professional cinema, many technical obstacles still had to be overcome. Additionally, the exposure time applied to the image was too long. A turning point in this field occurred in 1872, when photographer Eadweard Muybridge captured the movement of a horse. Ernst Kohlrausch later took a series of photographs around the Rhine in 1890 using a homemade chronophotograph. German inventor Ottomar Anschutz and Frenchman Etienne Marey took the field a step further with their “fast-reading electrical device.” In 1893, Murray's assistant Demeny received a patent for a photochronograph device. Frenchman Louis Le Prince creates the first single-lens film camera in England. In 1888, he took photographs with this camera, which could already be called a film camera.
  
William Dixon, unfamiliar with the invention of Louis Le Prince, invents the kinetoscope and cinematograph in 1891 in the company of Thomas Edison. In this device, strips of celluloid film could be passed in front of the lens. However, this kinetoscope could only be used by one person.
   
The films have been shown without sound since their creation. On November 1, 1895, the Skladovsky brothers showed a 15-minute silent film with a bioscope, which they filmed in one of the Berlin clubs. At the same time, the French Lumière brothers were showing silent films using their cinemograph (which was a device that photographed, copied, and reproduced).
    
“Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory in Lyon” (French: La Sortie de l'usine Lumière à Lyon, 1895) is a silent short documentary film; one of the first films made by the Lumière brothers and historically the first film shown to the public on the big screen. The film was first shown on March 22, 1895, at a conference dedicated to the development of the French photographic industry. Unlike the Skladovsky brothers, the Lumière brothers invited representatives of the upper class to the screening of their film. Brothers Louis and Auguste Lumière first organized the famous paid film screening of their 46-second short film “Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory in Lyon.” It was one of the first paid ten screenings in Paris, shown in the basement of the Grand Café on the Boulevard des Capucines on December 28, 1895. This historical event is at the heart of International Cinema Day.
   
The history of Azerbaijani cinema begins on June 21, 1898. The first films consisted of chronicle plots (“The Oil Gush Fire in Bibiheybat”, “The Oil Gush in Balakhany”, “Folk festival in the city garden”, “Caucasian dance”, etc.) and one plot of the feature film “You are caught”, (Ilishdin) shot by photographer and writer Alexandre Michon.
  
At the beginning of the last century, foreign film companies such as “Pathé”, “Pirone Brothers Society”, “Filma” opened their branches in Baku and began producing films. In 1916, based on the story of the same name by the writer Ibrahim bey Musabekov, a short film “In the kingdom of Oil and Millions (Azerbaijani: Neft və milyonlar səltənətində)” was shot, and in 1917, based on the operetta by Uzeir Hajibeyli, “Arshin Mal Alan”.
   
After the proclamation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the new government carried out several cultural and political reforms. As a result, new economic ties, cultural and economic ties were created, which provided the opportunity for development and public opinion in Baku before the first examples of world cinema. This is how film lovers quickly began to appear in Baku. In 1918 they became the "Council of Film and Theater Employees".
   
Later, after the establishment of Soviet rule in Azerbaijan, in 1922, the first cinema factory was established in the republic. In 1923 it was renamed to “Azerbaijan Photo-Film Department” (APFD) by a special decree of the People’s Education Commissariat. In 1924, the APFD shot the first Soviet movie – “The Maiden Tower” directed by Vladimir Ballyuzek. The screenplay was based on the legend of the Maiden Tower.

The films studio had following names in 1923-26 as “Azerbaijan Office of the Photo-Cinema” (APFD), in 1926-30-ess as “Azdovletkino”, in 1930-33 as “Azerkino”, in 1933 as “Azfilm”, in 1934 as “Azdovletkinosenayesi”, in 1935-40-es as “Azerfilm”, in 1941-59 as “Baku studio”. But since 1961 till date, it named as “Azerbaijanfilm” named after Jafar Jabbarly.

To date, Azerbaijanfilm has produced more than 2,000 films of various kinds and genres. Most of the famous and beloved movies in Azerbaijani cinema are musical comedies. Remaking Svetlov’s” Arshin mal alan” in 1945 (also in 1965) popularized this genre and over the years movies like “Rendezvous” (1955), “Bakhtiyar” (1955), “If not this, then that” (1965), “Where is Ahmad?” (1964), “Mother-in-law” (1978), etc. were made. Several of them, including “Arshin mal alan”, “Bread Equal”, “Birthday”, “Investigation” and “Scoundrel”, have received State awards. Such films as “Stepmother”, “On the Far Shores”, “Arshin Mal Alan”, “Our Teacher Jabish”, “The Last Pass”, “Nasimi”, “Alien Time”, “Sary Gyalin”, “Koldun”, “Buta”, “Stepniak”, “Nabat” and “Downstream” have won awards at international and other film festivals.

1970s and 1980s are remarkable for historical films, which constitute an unforgettable part of our history and are part of the golden fund of our culture. They were screened and created in terms of artistry. In those years 110 feature films, 500 documentaries and science films, 96 issues of “Mozalan” satirical magazine and 44 animation films were produced in Azerbaijan. The films “Our Teacher Jabish”, “Kura Indomitable”, “Bread Equal”, “Dervish Blows up Paris”, “Seven Sons of Mine”, “The Last Pass”, “Nasimi”, “Dede Gorgud”, “Babek”, “Nizami”, “Apple Like an Apple”, “Looking for the Girl”, “Our Grandfather’s Grandfather”, “A Tail Wind”, “The Sound of the Swirl”, “Gharib in the Land of Jinns” and others were filmed during those years. One of the main aspects that distinguished these films was their deeper penetration into the life of our people, and most importantly, our centuries-long history, traditions, and national values. Under Soviet rule, such examples of art were created at the initiative of the great leader that are considered the golden fund of our national cinematography.

After gaining independence in 1991 Azerbaijani cinema entered a new stage. Although the political and economic situation in Azerbaijan was not stable at the time, the local film industry kept producing new movies. In the years of independence, special attention was paid to the art of cinema under the leadership of the Great Leader. By a decree of the national leader of August 19, 1998, the Law “On Cinematography” was adopted in Azerbaijan. At the same time, several Azerbaijani films were awarded high state awards, actors, directors, and screenwriters received awards at International Film Festivals and competitions. The Azerbaijan State Film Fund was established in 1996.
   
The work done by the national leader for the development of cinema is successfully continued by the president of the country Ilham Aliyev. On February 2007, 23, the head of state signed orders “On the development of the art of cinema” and in August 2008, 4, “State program on the development of Azerbaijani cinema for 2008-2018”. The state program will increase the production of films, as well as supply modern cinema equipment and appliances, expand the production of films together with foreign countries, and reconstruct cinemas. In recent years, Azerbaijani films have been represented at more than 40 international festivals held abroad.
  
Currently, according to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Some Measures Related to the Development of Azerbaijani Cinematography” dated March 1, 2019, the country is implementing systemic reforms in the direction of developing cinematography and modernizing this area.
     
Azerbaijani cinema emerged from the great trials of the time with honour, taking the path of service to the people and becoming a beloved art direction. The national leader Heydar Aliyev highly valued Azerbaijani cinema art noting: “That our cinema history and achievements would always be our national, cultural wealth which we should cherish for future of our country”.

Recommended literature:

1. Dadaşov, Aydın Ərşad oğlu. Dünya kinosu örnəklər kontekstində : monoqrafiya / A. Ə. Dadaşov ; elmi red. V. Qafarov ; red.: G. Qafarova, K. Yusifova ; Azərbaycan Respublikası Mədəniyyət və Turizm Nazirliyi. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2016. - 688 s.
2. Kazımzadə, Aydın Ələsgər oğlu. Kino və zaman : 1923-2016 / A. Ə. Kazımzadə ; red. G. İsmayıloğlu ; Azərbaycan Respublikası Mədəniyyət və Turizm Nazirliyi. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2016. - 784 s.
3. Kazımzadə, Aydın Ələsgər oğlu. Azərbaycan kino salnaməsi : 1898-2018: 2 cilddə / A. Ə. Kazımzadə ; elmi red. C. Quliyev ; bur. məsul R. Salmanov ; red.: L. Vəzirzadə [et al.] ; Azərbaycan Respublikası Mədəniyyət Nazirliyi, Azərbaycan Dövlət Film Fondu. I cild : Bədii, televiziya bədii, animasiya filmləri və "Mozalan" satirik kinojurnalının bədii süjetləri. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2020. - 768 s.
4. Quliyeva, Ulduzə Qara qızı. Azərbaycan filmlərinin yaranma tarixindən / U. Q. Quliyeva ; Azərbaycan Respublikası Mədəniyyət və Turizm Nazirliyi. I kitab / elmi red. H. M. Ömərova ; red. M. Bəyişli. - Bakı : "E.L." NPŞ MMC, 2006. - 688 s.