The movie, Doğma Torpaq – ‘Motherland’ that includes documentary footage and storytelling content, is a historical drama based on a true story, a new release of an Azerbaijani film production company.
The movie, Doğma Torpaq, translates in English from the Azerbaijan language to “Motherland” (Native Land). The premier screening took place on Friday, April 18, 2025, at the Nizami Cinema Center, Baku, Azerbaijan. As of April 24, 2025, Azerbaijani movie goers could watch it on the big screen in a theater nearby.
Doğma Torpaq is a full-length feature film that covers a war-drama epic, spreading over a period from 1980’s to 2020.
Ilgar Safat wrote the script and directed the filming; NarimanFilm Company, a global film line production and services company, headquartered in Baku, Azerbaijan with several subsidiaries worldwide, produced the film.
“DOĞMA TORPAQ”/ “MOTHERLAND”
The Film’s Basic Story
A nascent, independent Azerbaijan is fighting Armenian separatists in Karabakh. Miranda, a British Journalist arrives from London to shoot a documentary about the rare Caucasian leopard. While in the war torn zone she learns not only about the leopard but also learns and experiences some tragic pages of Azerbaijan’s history.
About the Making of the Film
The movie, an epic with a good idea of flash-backs, goes back and forth in time. It centers on the main character Emil’s interesting life accounts; a detailed reminder of the Nagorno-Karabakh 1992-1994 War.
The casting, Azerbaijan nationality Rustam Jabrayilov as Emil and Russian nationality Alina Vorontsova as Miranda, is well done acting.
The wardrobe fitting depicts well the time periods which the movie covers.
The good cinematography of beautiful Azerbaijani scenery offers lively colors, high color density and high saturation.
The music score is excellent, with cues that enhance the sound of traditional Azerbaijani music instruments.
The sporadic poetry is an interesting artistic addition to the film.
Miranda’s naiveté and her adamant commitment to her designated journalistic assignment, to obtain some footage of the Caucasian leopard, even if it is to take place in a war zone, depicts a contrast between two realities of life.
Nonetheless, this naive element pops up all the time; it’s difficult to imagine that a journalist, a woman, decides to shoot a documentary about a leopard in a war zone. However, if the film’s story is based on factual events I do not question that.
Shooting and action scenes – cinematography and editing – is slightly clumsy.
For those who are not Azerbaijanis nor are familiar with the country’s ethos and history it is a very interesting film; it definitely enhances Azerbaijan’s culture, tradition and history.
For movie goers who are not Azerbaijanis, the film is also an introduction to the unfamiliar culture and lifestyle of the mountainous Karabakh region’s Azerbaijani inhabitants. More so, to understand and familiarize themselves with the war period which they are most probably unfamiliar with. I am in the opinion that the film could have explained this important aspect slightly better.
All in all, the film offers a unique atmosphere that can only become alive on the screen when a local production company tells a local story.
Honoring National Hero Albert Agarunov
The scenes that honor and recall the memory of Albert Agarunov, the Jewish-Azerbaijani tank commander, the national hero of Azerbaijan are commendable. Officer Agarunov died on May 9, 1992, during the 1st Nagorno-Karabakh War – 1992-1994 – during the Battle of Shusha for the liberation of the city of Shusha; his bravery and actions in the battle earned him the posthumous award of National Hero. The city of Shusha was finally liberated in 2020, 44 days-2nd Karabakh War, referred to as the “Patriotic War”; it is mentioned at the end of this film, that lasted from September 27 to November 10, 2020.
Azerbaijan and Israel Experienced Similar Atrocities
It is difficult to watch scenes from the movie Doğma Torpaq that are a reminder of recent history and the fact that history repeats itself though it could take place in a different part of the world.
Scenes in the film of the massacre that took place on 26 February 1992 in the city of Khojaly, Azerbaijan, are similar in their brutality to Hamas terrorists’ vicious attack, on October 7, 2023 in southern Israel, in which the terrorists massacred 1200 innocent Israelis, including women, children and the elderly.
In Khojaly, Armenian invaders massacred 613 civilians, including 106 women and 63 children.
The Film’s Value to the Azerbaijani Nation
This film must be important for many people in Azerbaijan, including officials.
For the younger Azerbaijani generation, it may be difficult to associate with and relate to events that took place over three decades ago. In many cases history has proven already that it is easy to go cold on tragedies and replace them with a positive lifestyle.
The movie Doğma Torpaq could teach a lesson that humanity has not learned yet: what happened in the 20th century repeats itself in the 21st century; similar events take place in different parts of the world but they are the same acts of incomprehensible murderous cruelty.
