BAKU, Azerbaijan — When 500 people filled the Nizami Cinema Center for the premiere of Two Hundred Years of Hidden History, they came to discover a chapter of their country’s past that had remained largely unknown despite its deep impact on Azerbaijan’s cultural development.
The documentary, directed by Kamala Musazade, traces the Bahá’í community’s journey in Azerbaijan through personal accounts and scholarly commentary. Among the participants at the screening were journalists, artists, poets, musicians, and government representatives—a gathering that reflected the broad interest in understanding how this community contributed to aspects of the country’s social development.
Ramazan Asgarli, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Azerbaijan, framed the significance of the film in his opening remarks: “This history, intrinsically woven into the fabric of our nation’s own, has long remained obscured for various reasons. Now is the moment for our society to finally engage with it.”
The documentary does more than chronicle events. Through interviews with community members, historical footage, and commentary from scholars, it explores how Bahá’í principles, such as the oneness of humanity, the equality of women and men, and the harmony of science and religion, fostered Azerbaijan’s intellectual and cultural landscape during a pivotal period of the country’s history.
One of the documentary’s most compelling threads follows the story of Táhirih, a poet and a Bahá’í heroine of women’s emancipation in the nineteenth century. In 1848, at the “Conference of Badasht,” she appeared on one occasion without the veil required by Muslim tradition, an act that came to represent the emergence of a new era.
The film also examines the Faith’s connections to prominent figures in Azerbaijan’s enlightenment movement. Writers and poets such as Huseyn Javid, Mirza Alakbar Sabir, Abdulkhalig Yusif, and Jafar Jabbarli, who were central to the country’s literary heritage, were drawn to or inspired by Bahá’í principles. The community established progressive educational initiatives, including what became the first girls’ school in Baku in 1901, reflecting the Bahá’í emphasis on universal education and the advancement of women.
Beyond documenting the past, the film explores what this history means for addressing contemporary challenges. “We are currently experiencing a global crisis of civilization, and it is undeniable that this is a moral and spiritual crisis,” Mr. Asgarli noted at the screening. “This crisis is compelling humanity to realize the inevitability of that long-dreamed-of universal peace.”
He explained that the film presents “glimpses into the history of the Bahá’í community of Azerbaijan, individuals committed to the pursuit of knowledge in the service of peace, who are cultivating new ways of relating to one another, and who warmly invite all to join them on this path.”
The attendees noted how the film allowed them to see these historical developments in a new light. Shöhrət El-Dəniz, Editor-in-Chief of Vision TV and a journalist, observed that “despite a world filled with war and conflict, humanity’s longing for peace has not extinguished. Azerbaijan’s message of peace to humanity is woven throughout the film.”
Writer Gan Turalı noted the documentary’s significance for understanding Azerbaijan’s intellectual history: “Since the mid-19th century, the Bahá’í Faith has had a profound impact on Azerbaijan’s cultural and social environment and attracted the deep interest of many of our country’s intellectuals, enhancing their worldview. The film vividly presents how classics of Azerbaijani literature—Mirza Alakbar Sabir, Huseyn Javid, and Jafar Jabbarli—viewed the Bahá’í Faith and drew inspiration from its ideas.”
The documentary was produced through collaboration between the National Cinema Center and the Bahá’ís of Azerbaijan. Plans are underway to screen the film in other cities across Azerbaijan.
Mr. Asgarli explained that the producers hope the film will contribute to a wider conversation about Azerbaijan’s spiritual heritage and cultural diversity, particularly at a time when societies everywhere are grappling with polarization and conflict.
“The spirit of our age is the unity of humanity and universal peace,” he said, adding: “And there is only one path to that peace—the path of loving service to all humanity.”
The film can be viewed below or on YouTube.
