The State Film Fund has opened an exhibition timed to the 125th anniversary of Azerbaijani cinema and the centenary of AzerbaijanFilm Studio.

Honored Cultural Worker Parviz Guliyev provided more than 300 photographs for the exhibition, Azernews reports.

Before the opening ceremony, Director of the State Film Fund, Honored Art Worker Jamil Guliyev highlighted the role of Parviz Guliyev in Azerbaijani cinema as photographer.

Over 60 years, Parviz Guliyev worked at AzerbaijanFilm Studio and worked as a photographer in more than 50 domestic feature films.

For many years, he headed AzerbaijanFilm's photo studio and collected a huge collection of film stills, behind the scene photographs, portraits of famous actors and film directors.

In his speech, Honored Artist Elkhan Gasimov touched upon the early period of the photographer's activity, emphasizing that his love for photography and cinema was born at a young age.

On his own initiative, Gasimov created a photo archive, which contains all photo frames and negatives of films shot at AzerbaijanFilm studio.

In 1977, he was awarded a Certificate of Honor from the Committee of State Cinematography under the USSR Cabinet of Ministers.

In 1980, he became an "Excellent worker in cinematography", as well as a member of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR.

Furthermore, Elkhan Gasimov received the title of "Veteran of Labour" ( 1989).

The photographer repeatedly took part in the Days of Azerbaijan Culture and designed photo stands.

He participated in the design of the lobby of the AzerbaijanFilm Studio, the State Film Fund of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan.

He also took part in the design of photo stands dedicated to the anniversaries of famous cinema figures held at the State Film Fund.

Many books, magazines, catalogues and even the film encyclopedia include his photo works.

With genuine interest, the exhibition visitors traced the history of Azerbaijani cinema through photographs.

The history of the film industry in Azerbaijan spans over 100 years.

Shortly after the Lumiere brothers from France invented cinematography, an apparatus for making motion pictures in 1895, Russian photographer and cameraman Alexandre Michon began shooting motion pictures that depicted everyday life in Baku.

The first short, silent film of Azerbaijani cinematography "You are caught" was shown in Baku on August 2, 1898.

The audience witnessed a historical event - the birth of Azerbaijani cinematography.

At present, local film companies are producing hundreds of films that received global recognition.

Number of films produced in the country is growing at an unprecedented speed enabling countless filmmakers to express themselves in so many ways.