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| Reza Siami, filmmaker |
Iranian TV director Rza Siyami expresses optimism about the future of cinema in Iranian Azerbaijan. In an interview with Voice of America, Siyami—who has directed and produced numerous films and television series broadcast on Iranian, Azerbaijani, and Turkish television—spoke about his works in Turkish and Persian, as well as the current state and future prospects of cinema in Iranian Azerbaijan.
Siyami's films have been broadcast on the Ardabil Provincial Channel, nationwide Iranian channels, and Sahar TV, which airs programs in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Some of these films, produced in Persian or Turkish, have been presented in their original language and also dubbed, offering viewers access in both languages.
Siyami notes that a distinct cinema industry specific to Iranian Azerbaijan does not currently exist:
"In Iranian Azerbaijan, if we consider commercial films, there is essentially no Azerbaijani cinema. There have been some efforts, such as four or five films by Mr. Yadollah Samadi, including Saray, Dəli Domrul, and Savalan, but these are focused on folklore rather than addressing social issues. It's purely folklore."
Siyami highlighted that many prominent directors and actors in Iranian cinema hail from Azerbaijani cities. However, he remarked that they are generally unfamiliar with or uninterested in Azerbaijani issues. As an example, he mentioned celebrated filmmaker Jafar Panahi, originally from Mianeh in East Azerbaijan Province.
Regarding short films and festival-oriented productions, Siyami believes the situation is significantly better compared to commercial films:
"There are currently very strong and valuable short film projects, many of them in Turkish. Some have participated in various festivals and even won awards. Unfortunately, these types of films rarely extend beyond festivals to reach television or cinema screens, which limits their visibility. Nonetheless, from an artistic standpoint, they are excellent. There are talented young filmmakers, and if they can overcome this phase and transition to professional cinema, they could pave the way forward."
Looking to the future, he remains hopeful:
"I see a bright future. There is hope. If even one out of ten of our young filmmakers continues in the field of feature films and professional cinema, it will be a significant success. Producing two Turkish-language films a year in Iranian Azerbaijan would suffice, allowing us to reflect our culture, address social issues, and give value to our language."
The director also shared his thoughts and observations about the state of cinema in Iranian Kurdistan with Voice of America.
"When we talk about Kurdish cinema, it is not limited to Iran, Iraq, or Turkey. For example, there are Kurdish film festivals where Kurdish filmmakers from various countries present their works," Siyami said, emphasizing the deep connections among Kurdish artists across different countries. He also noted the support provided by cultural institutions in Iraqi Kurdistan to Kurdish filmmakers in other nations.
Days of Reunion (1998)
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Rza Siyami: İran Azərbaycanında türkcə ildə iki film çəkilsə yetərli olar