29 March 2024

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THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN

Great Rasim Ocaqov left us seven years ago

Author:

01.08.2012

Both during the holidays and weekdays both public and private channels are repeatedly showing a few films that have become the pearls of the national cinema. Sometimes we even complain about it. But our discontent is not connected with these films, it is about the fact that such films are not produced anymore. Time passes, generations come and go, the audience changes too, but interest in these films does not dry out. Among the films we have viewed many times there are those produced by director Rasim Ocaqov. They in The actors and actresses that starred in them are proud to have acted in the films of this director that won the sympathy of the audience and became unique pages of the Azerbaijani cinema.

Rasim Ocaqov foresaw all this - the value of his work in cinema, and the fact that the films he shot will not be forgotten. He considered himself to be the happiest man in all respects. He regarded as the favour of God the time and place of his birth, choice of profession and the family.

He was born in 1933 in Saki. His father, a sayyid, originally came from Lankaran, and his mother was a native of Saki. Sent in 1925 to Saki to work, his father, a doctor by profession, married his colleague here and tied his life to these beautiful places.

In fact, Rasim Ocaqov's childhood occurred in very difficult period that was full of contradictions. He was a witness to how the Soviet authorities pursued a "cleansing policy " caused by the tragedy of the World War II. As a child, saw a lot of difficulties.

In 1941 he went to the first class of the Russian sector of high school in Sheki. He dreamed of becoming a geologist. This desire came after meeting with the experts who came to look for oil in the local mountains. But once a crew of the Baku film studio arrived in Sheki his choice changed. At the time he was still in the 9th grade. The resentment of his parents did not affect his new decision. After graduating from school in 1951, at just 17 years of age he went on to study in Moscow - the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography. In the end he came to work in the Baku film studio. He began his career as the second operator in the film "Uzaq sahillarda" ("On Distant Shores"). He soon became famous as an expert in his field. He was the operator of 14 films.

He dreamed of becoming a director. He brought script to the studio management, but could not obtain their agreement. He then enrolled in the directing department of the Mirzaaga Aliyev Azerbaijan State Institute of Arts (now the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts). While he studied a problem emerged between the director of the film "Qatir Mammad", Sadiqzada Huseyn, and the studio management, and he was asked him to re-shoot the film. Then he directed the film "Tutak sasi" ("The sound of pipe").

"Ad gunu" ("Birthday") was his third film. It was here that yet another contribution of Rasim Ocaqov to Azerbaijani cinematography was clearly revealed - the identification of talented actors and actresses. In this film, he opened for us Haci Ismayilov .Haci Ismayilov particularly remembers two episodes from meetings with Rasim Ocaqov. It was in 1964. Students of the Theatre Institute (then known as AGII) went to visit his friend Eldaniz Zeynalov, who starred in the film "Bir canub saharda" ("In one southern city"). The filming took place in one of the oldest streets of Baku. Even from a distance the operator was recognized - it was Rasim Ocaqov.

The second episode relates to 1976. Haci Ismayilov was in the studio for dubbing. He drank tea with a friend in the creative studio cafeteria, where there are always directors, screenwriters and actors around. Nearby sat with tea Rasim Ocaqov and his friends. Suddenly, the director went to Haci and said, "I am going to start shooting a new film. I invite you to participate." The young actor was stunned. It was only later that he learned that Rasim Ocaqov watched him from the side, asked his friends about it and only then invited him to an audition...

He participated in the samples with great enthusiasm and unexpectedly, even for himself, was successful. This film was the arrival of Haci Ismayilov to cinema. And the first audience for the movie was the then leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, and the Soviet Ambassador to Iran, Alexander Vinogradov, who was at that time in Baku. They liked the movie. Later, "Ad gunu" was awarded the State Prize of Azerbaijan.

Haci Ismayilov  said that the film "Qatir Mammad" did not match the world-view and romanticism of Rasim Ocaqov: "He was interested in a different topic - the life of a man, his psychology, the challenges he faces... These are the moments of interest to the director." The second film - "Tutak sasi" was already in line with Ocaqov's tastes. The same can be said about the film "Ad gunu", commission to be shot by the All-Union State Television and Radio. It was first demonstrated on the all-union television on 26 January, 1978.

In the studio "Azerbaijanfilm" many operators later tried to become directors. According to Haci Ismayilov , the most successful among them was Rasim Ocaqov: "Another positive point was that for the operators who worked with him, were a kind of school too because Rasim Ocaqov was a unique school as an operator too. Other filmmakers when filming trusted the operator. But Rasim Ocaqov gave permission to shoot only after by looking at the camera in person. As a professional operator, he saw everything well." 

There was never a case when he was late for filming or came unprepared. He demanded discipline and responsibility from the creative team as well. From the memoirs of HaciIsmayilov: "For him to come too late or unprepared for the shooting - this never happened. During the filming of "Ad gunu" he told me to come at 7 am. I came every day and only caught the cleaners. At 8:00 came the wardrobe mistress, and I dressed. An hour later came the make-up artist, and I put on the makeup. I thought - why do I come so early? Later I realized that Rasim Ocaqov purposely told me to come in early morning. Indeed, in anticipation of the start of filming I had to train internally to prepare. The shooting began at 10:00 and ended at 14:00."

Rasim Ocaqov always remembered those with whom he worked. This trait was reflected in his work. He never forgot a talented actor, starring in his film, and was sure to invite him to a role in another project.

It was the same for Haci Ismayilov . After "Ad gunu" the actor starred in four films of Rasim Ocaqov - "Bagl? qapi qarsisinda", "Ozga omur", "Olsam, bagisla", "Ham ziyarat, ham ticarat" ("Before the closed door", Someone Else's Life","If I die, Forgive Me", "Both a trip, and a trade"). Haci Ismayilov  says: "Rasim Ocaqov was always been interested in the fate of the actor starring in his films, even once, even when there was no shooting. For example, how Hacilives, what roles he played in the theatre... I felt the attention of the creative person. He disliked praise. Ask him during the filming: "How was it?". He answered: "Alright." Only once during the filming in Istanbul of "Ham ziyarat, ham ticarat" he came up and hugged me and said, "Well done. Very good. I did not expect."

With a smile, Haci Ismayilov recalls the scene during the shooting of this film in Baku: "Episodes of the film were filmed at the hotel in the centre of diagnosis. Once I was late for a shoot. Knowing that he does not like it when actors are late, I worried, thinking I'll get a scolding after all. I came up and began to apologize: "Rasim muallim, sorry, I was a bit late... ". He replied very calmly: "So you were. Give 10 roubles to the second director, and go get ready for work. "At that time, 10 roubles was a lot of money. I gave them, but then tried not to be late. "

From the side, he seemed serious, and even a slightly reclusive man. In fact, he was very cheerful, fond of a joke. A subtle and sophisticated sense of humour is the quality of the true Saki native. Talking to Haci Ismayilov about the film "Ham ziyarat, ham ticarat" half in jest, half seriously I asked, "Was not it difficult for an actor who does not come from Saki to play the role of a Saki native before the director who was born in Saki?". He said: "There was a dangerous, but at the same time, a very correct aspect. Unlike some others, Rasim muallim when using the dialect of Saki did not go to extremes, and did not seek a trivial laugh. " "Rasim Ocaqov invested a lot of work and effort so that my role of Mustafa in the film turned out good - says Ismailov. - There was a shooting scene where Mustafa had to tell visitors about the famous Saki Khan Palace in Russian, but with the Saki accent. I was somewhat prepared, and asked Rasim muallim if I could first speak my accent, and then during the voicing acting is as a Saki peron? ". He replied: "No, I will speak as a Saki person." Saki people really enjoyed our visit, took care of us and created all the conditions. A close relative of Rasim muallim allowed shooting episodes in the house of Mustafa at his home."

Rasim Ocaqov was right in calling himself a man on whom the Fortune smiles. His work coincided with the development of cinema in Azerbaijan. He had the opportunity to shoot a lot of films, to demonstrate his unique directorial talent.

After the events of the 1990s, the film studio "Azerbaijanfilm" appeared to have frozen its activities. It was very depressing for Rasim Ocaqov. Although he did not show it, he constantly thought about it. His credo was to shoot the Azerbaijani films. Always said that "the main thing for me is not what actor starred in the film, but who made the film. What matters is to shoot Azerbaijani films! "That was his goal and he achieved it.

In the films of Rasim Ocaqov along with Azerbaijani actors well-known actors of the former Soviet Union starred as well. In those years, this the object of special attention when reviewing a film. But he still preferred to shoot the Azerbaijani actors.

Haci Ismayilov wistfully recalls those days: "Working with a prominent director like Rasim Ocaqov was a great joy. It occupies a special place in my work. Prior to the show "Ad gunu" on the national television, I worked in theater and was not so well known. The film made me famous overnight. Sometimes you want to go back to those days, to the set. Films like that are not shot anymore. True, new films are released. There are those that succeed. But so far there is no movie that can stand in the same league with the films of Rasim Ocaqov. "

Seven years have passed from the death of Rasim Ocaqov. People's Artist Haci Ismayilov always remembers this day, "July 11 - the day when prominent film director Rasim Ocaqov left this world. Many years have passed, but I never forget that day. I always visit his grave and lay flowers. Time is not able to remove him from us. With each passing day Rasim Ocaqov becomes even closer to his fellow artists."



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