January 18 marks the 83rd anniversary of the birth of the outstanding film figure, People's Artist, and State Prize laureate, Eldar Guliyev.

The films he created on historical themes played a significant role in promoting national and spiritual values, Azernews reports.

Eldar Guliyev was the son of composer and pianist Tofig Guliyev. He studied at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography from 1960 to 1966, where he was taught by Sergei Gerasimov himself.

In 1958–1959, Eldar Guliyev worked as an assistant director at the AzerbaijanFilm Studio. In 1960–1966, he received a higher education as a film director at the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography in Moscow.

Since 1967, Eldar Guliyev has worked at AzerbaijanFilm Studio until the end of his life, where he directed fictional films and documentaries.

His best known films include In a Southern Town (1969), Babak (1979), Nizami (1982), A Letter to a Friend (1992), Dervish Notes (2013), etc.

The merits of Eldar Guliyev in the development of Azerbaijani culture were highly appreciated by the state. He was awarded many honorary titles, including People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR (1982), Shohrat Order (2001), Sharaf Order (2011), Honorary Diploma of President (2016), Istiglal Order (2021), and others.