The film was made about world-famous Azerbaijani writer Mahammad Asad bey (Kurban Said). Director of Germany-based Nizami Ganjavi Institute of Azerbaijani Culture, poetess Nourida Ateshi told that the film, which cost €1 million, is still available only in German.
The shootings of the 104-minute and two-part feature documentary film “Asad bey’s suffering” were started in 2004 and carried out in Germany, Austria, Italy, and also in Azerbaijan. Ateshi said that the 20-minute part of the film, which was made by Umweltfilm Berlin studio and directed by Ralph Marshallek, was brought to Azerbaijan a few years ago: “20 minutes of the film was shown at the Kapelhause within the “Year of German Culture in Azerbaijan”. First the film was named as “In the name of the lion”, but in the end we decided to name it as “Asad bey’s suffering”.
The film was sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Cultural and Media Affairs in Germany, Allianz Cultural Foundation in Berlin, Film Commission in Naples and other international organizations.
The film tells the story of the last manuscript of Mahammad Asad bey, written under the pseudonym “Kurban Said” - the novel "The Man Who Knew Nothing About Love." It also tells the writer’s love for Azerbaijan, his longing for the homeland and the injustices done against him.”
The screen version included the childhood of Mahammad Asad bey in Icheri Sheher, his years of study in Berlin, the memories on Vienna, where bestseller "Ali and Nino" was written and the situation in which he wrote his last novel, experiencing pain when he was seriously ill during his home arrest in Positano, Italy.
Ateshi playing one of the leading roles in the film - the first European explorer of Asad bey expressed her confidence that the movie will become national and cultural heritage of Azerbaijan.
She also noted that translation of the movie into Azerbaijani, Russian and English languages and presentation to the wide audience may play a great role in the international acquittal of Asad bey, help the nation to know him better, understand and love him.
Rights of broadcasting the film in CIS countries belongs to Germany-based Nizami Ganjavi Culture Institute.
Ateshi said that Oscar - winner Christopher Hampton is shooting movie on the basis of "Ali and Nino" novel by Mahammad Asad bey, written under the pseudonym “Kurban Said”. The producer of the film is Vice-President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva.