Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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A new documentary film dedicated to the life and heroism of the Azerbaijani partisan Mehdi Huseynzade has premiered at the Kinodvor cinema in Ljubljana, Slovenia, AzerNEWS reports.

Titled "Their Mehdi, Our Mihajlo" (Njihov Mehdi, naš Mihajlo), the film was produced by RTV Slovenija, with the screenplay and direction by Zvezdan Martić. It tells the story of Huseynzade, who fought alongside the Slovenian resistance during World War II and became one of the most respected figures of the anti-fascist movement in Slovenia and Yugoslavia.

Known for his courage, determination, and commitment to the fight for freedom, Mehdi Huseynzade became a symbol of resistance against Nazi occupation. His legacy continues to hold a special place in Slovenian and Azerbaijani historical memory.

The Azerbaijan Cinema Agency (ARKA) informs that the filming for the documentary took place in March 2026 across several locations in Azerbaijan, including Baku, the village of Novkhani in the Absheron region, as well as the Oguz and Ismayilli districts.

The project was supported by the Azerbaijan Cinema Agency under the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry. Promoting Azerbaijan's historical heritage and preserving the memory of national heroes abroad remains one of the agency's key priorities.

The production also received support from several Azerbaijani and Slovenian institutions, including the Azerbaijanfilm Studio, the Azerbaijan State Film Fund, the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Slovenia with residence in Vienna, the Azerbaijan Cultural Centre in Vienna, the Nizami Ganjavi National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature, Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting (AzTV), the Slovenia–Azerbaijan Friendship Society, the Municipality of Nova Gorica, and the local community of Šempas.

The premiere featured speeches by Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Slovenia Rovshan Sadygbeyli, ARKA Director General Rashad Azizov, filmmaker Zvezdan Martić, and Slovenian historian and Member of Parliament Martin Premk.

Speakers highlighted that the deep respect shown in Slovenia toward the memory of Mehdi Huseynzade has further strengthened the friendship between the Azerbaijani and Slovenian peoples.

They expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for the legacy of a hero who came from a distant land, became part of Slovenia's history, shared the fate of its people, and gave his life in the struggle for freedom.

The documentary is expected to be screened for audiences in Baku in the near future.