Azerbaijan cinema chief hopes Japanese TV drama will strengthen bilateral ties
Baku, November 3, AZERTAC
The head of Azerbaijan’s Cinema Agency has expressed hope that the popular Japanese television drama “Vivant” will bring the two countries closer together, Jiji Press reported.
Azerbaijan, located on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, was one of the main filming locations for the television drama.
In a recent interview with Jiji Press in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Rashad Azizov, Director General of the agency, praised the Japanese drama for making “history.” It provided an “opening moment” for building a “bridge” between the two countries, he said.
Noting that this was the first time a large-scale Japanese screen production had been filmed in Azerbaijan, Azizov said: “We hope that this film will be the starting point for the future of Japan-Azerbaijan ties.”
Azerbaijan has already begun welcoming Japanese fans of the drama to the country. Expressing hope that they would enjoy the historic sites, architecture and cuisine the country has to offer, Azizov said he hoped to see more Japanese tourists.
Known as an oil and natural gas producer, Azerbaijan has also focused on its creative industries in recent years. As part of this effort, the country reimburses up to 40 pct of expenses incurred by non-Azerbaijani companies producing films in the country, Azizov said.
The cinema chief said that the share of creative industries in the country’s gross domestic product had “doubled” over the past three years. The sector offers “quite a good opportunity” for investors, he added, expressing his intention to further develop the industries and attract more investment from within and outside Azerbaijan.
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