Depardieu to play Alexandre Dumas in Azeri film
BAKU – French screen legend Gerard Depardieu will star in a movie to be shot in Azerbaijan, personifying the world-famous 19th century French writer Alexandre Dumas.
The announcement was made on Monday at a meeting of Depardieu, who is visiting Azerbaijan, with Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev.
Shooting of the film, which will tell the story of Dumas’ visit to Azerbaijan, is due to begin over the next two to three years. Over this period a number of scripts will be written and further submitted to Depardieu, who will select one of them and begin the shoot together with a film studio he runs.
"It would be interesting for me to play Alexandre Dumas who is traveling across Azerbaijan, and I intend to look for some documents on this subject in France," Depardieu said. "If Dumas had grown fascinated with this land back in those days, that means it has long possessed abundant cultural diversity."
Depardieu has suggested that Dumas’ friend, Karabakh Khan’s (ruler) daughter, Khurshudbanu Natavan, be played by an Azerbaijani actress.
"Dumas was a man who loved good food and women, and, I think it would be interesting to personify his character, while an Azerbaijani actress will play the Khan’s daughter."
Dumas traveled in Karabakh, an Azerbaijani region currently under Armenian occupation, in the 19th century and was hosted by poetress Natavan, who was the daughter of the last Khan of Karabakh.
President Ilham Aliyev received Depardieu on Monday. Discussions covered the development of cinematography in Azerbaijan. They agreed that a joint film studio will be set up in the country.
The actor said he was pleased to visit Azerbaijan. Depardieu noted that he had paid tribute to Azerbaijan’s late national leader, former President Heydar Aliyev.
President Aliyev, stressing Heydar Aliyev’s exclusive role in shaping the present-day Azerbaijani state, said the late national leader had tremendously contributed to the country’s development.
"Actually, I was supposed to come to Azerbaijan at Heydar Aliyev’s invitation fifteen years ago," Depardieu told reporters. "He was impressed by the role I played in one of my films and invited me then. But unfortunately I could not accept the invitation at the time due to my busy schedule. So, I signed my poster and sent it to Heydar Aliyev."
The French superstar is in Baku to attend the fourth International Rostropovich Festival. Depardieu appeared before George Bizet’s "Carmen" opera that took place as part of the festival at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater on Monday and recited parts of Prosper Merimee’s "Carmen" novella.
After wrapping up his meetings in the Azerbaijani capital, Depardieu will head to the country’s western Gabala region. His visit to Azerbaijan will last until Thursday.