Ali and Nino (2016)

Love story of a Muslim Azerbaijani boy and Christian Georgian girl in Baku from 1918 to 1920.

Director:

Asif Kapadia

Writers:

Christopher Hampton, Kurban Said (book)

Stars:

Adam Bakri, María Valverde, Mandy Patinkin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adam Bakri	...	Ali Khan Shirvanshir
María Valverde	...	Nino Kipiani
Mandy Patinkin	...	Gregor Kipiani
Connie Nielsen	...	Duchess Kipiani
Homayoun Ershadi	...	Ali's Father
Halit Ergenç	...	Fatali Khan Khoyski
Fakhraddin Manafov	...	Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev
Nigar Gulahmadova	...	Sona Taghiyeva
Parviz Gurbanov	...	Musa Naghiyev
Numan Acar	...	Seyid Mustafa
Daniz Tacaddin	...	Nino's Friend
Khumar Salimova	...	Nino's Friend
Mekhriban Zeki	...	Sultan Khanim
Parviz Mammadrzayev	...	Gochu
Jovdat Shukurov	...	Russian Officer

Storyline

Ali is an upper class Muslim man, whose family holds a great deal of power in Baku, Azerbaijan. At that time, before World War One, Azerbaijan was part of the Russian Empire. Nino, Ali's lover, is from neighboring Georgia and is Christian, but the two are deeply in love and elope to the countryside. The story follows the two, who get married, through World War One, which only sees some of Ali's friends sent off to war. After the Russians surrender, however, conflict comes to Baku. Ali fights the Bolsheviks with the Azerbaijani militia and Nino helps nurse wounded soldiers during the March Days massacre in Baku.

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Plot Keywords:

christian | muslim | azerbaijan | georgia | turk | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

UK Azerbaijan

Language:

English Azerbaijani Russian

Release Date:

6 October 2016 (Azerbaijan)

Also Known As:

Ali & Nino

Filming Locations:

Azerbaijan

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

PeaPie Films, AZ Celtic Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the executive producers of the movie is Leyla Aliyeva. She is daughter of Ilham Aliyev - the president of Azerbaijan.

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Quotes

Nino Kipiani: No, no, no, no, no... Ali... don't we mean anything to you?
Ali Khan Shirvanshir: Swallowing hard... You mean everything.
Nino Kipiani: Look what happened last time we separated
Ali Khan Shirvanshir: It's not the same.You're not travelling to a strange country. You're going to your parents'.
Ali Khan Shirvanshir: Nino tries to say something. I have to do this Nino. It will be our baby's country when she grows up. Ali pauses. It has to be defended.

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Soundtracks

Azerbaycan Marsi
National Anthem of Azerbijan
Composed by Uzeyir Hajibayov (as Uzeyir Hajibeyov)
Lyrics by Ahmad Javad
Arranged by Rael Jones

User Reviews

Failed adaption of book to movie

If you read the book you will see that there were so much better scenes to adapt to the movie. Some scenes were nonsense. Some scenes weren't good enough. Auditioning - failed. Actings weren't satisfying for me: Nino is escaping country because of invasion and she is all happy and smiling at the train. I didn't like her acting at all. Great historical mistakes, wrong costumes etc. Overall maybe a good film for someone who hasn't read the book or doesn't know the culture and history. As I know the history and read the book, I can say that it is a failure of adaptation.