Heydar Aliyev Foundation

August 1922. An American journalist, Jerry Thompson, travels to the Soviet Union and arrives in Azerbaijan. He visits the settlement of Mardakan in Baku. There, he meets an elderly man at a villa. Thompson can hardly believe what he hears. Standing before him is Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, a once-great oil producer, millionaire, and philanthropist who lost all his wealth after the establishment of Soviet rule. Haji recounts his life story to the guest, a journey that saw him rise from a humble mason to an influential oil industrialist.

In the autumn of 1888, Baku is preparing for the visit of His Majesty Alexander III. Millionaire and member of the Baku City Duma, Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, is fighting for influence and status in society. The city mayor, Orlovsky, taking advantage of his position, seeks to seize the oil field of Teymurbekov, who has committed suicide. Meanwhile, Ismail, the eldest son of Haji, meets General’s daughter, Nurjahan Arablinskaya, and intends to marry her.

The film anthology includes 10 short films: "Asia", "Meeting", "Artist", "Yard", "Bahram Gur", "Lottery Ticket", "Caspian Atlantis", "About love", "Aysel" and "Coincidence". Each screenplay in the project reflects different moments in the life of Baku. Short films bring to life relationships between people, their love and longing, happy and sad moments. The main hero uniting these people, relations and different moments of life is the city of Baku.