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At the dawn of the Great War.
The Russian Empire ruled over more than 100 ethnic groups.
The Caucasus Region supplier of 50% of the world's oil.
The Land where East meets West.
- Father, I want to get married.
- You want me to find you a beautiful wife?
- I want to marry Nino Kipiani.
- Her hips are too slim, like all Georgians.
- Father?
- A woman's hips are more important
than her education, my son. Remember that.
When do you want to marry?
- Soon.
- I should like my grandson to be born in may.
It is a lucky month.
Why did you choose her?
- I love her, father.
- Generally speaking, loving a woman is not a good idea.
- Father.
- Ali Khan
congratulations on graduating.
It's a very well-deserved celebration for you.
- Will you be going on to study in Moscow?
- I haven't decided.
May I ask you for this dance?
- Father?
Certainly.
KIPIANI SUMMER RESIDENCE, TBILISI
- How much fertilizer? - How big is..
- No, no.
- May I?
- Yes, of course. - Thank you.
- I'm Malik Nakhararyan. - Oh. Nino Kipiani.
- Pleasure to meet you. - Lovely to meet you.
- I'm a very good friend of your father.
- Oh. - We are in business together.
- Oh.
- Thank you.
- After all, the supply have to go soon.
- Well, at least we try to.
- Prince Ali Khan, you are most welcome.
- I am so sorry, but my train was late.
- Not at all. - Come and join us.
- I have just learned of your ennoblement, your highness.
My Sincere congratulations.
- You are most kind. Thank you.
- Thank you.
- God is in our wine.
It can do you no harm.
- Father, Ali Khan does not take alcohol.
It's against his religion.
- On this occasion I will make an exception
so I can toast prince Kipiani.
- Thank you, young man.
- Prince Kipiani. - Prince Kipiani.
- You must go and look at our gardens after dinner, Ali Khan.
We have the most beautiful ancient trees.
- Thank you, your highness, but I came to visit you
not your trees.
- What, you have something against trees?
- Ali Khan is afraid of trees, Mr. Nakhararyan.
- Not exactly, but what others feel for trees
I feel for the desert.
- The desert?
It's just scrub and sand.
- That's what I love about it
its simplicity.
- Maybe that's the difference between east and west.
The desert asks for nothing
promises nothing
but the woods are full of questions.
- Well... - Ali Khan.
Eagles come from the mountains
and tigers from the forest
but nothing, nothing comes from the desert.
- Lions and warriors come from the deserts.
- Lions and warriors.
- And not to forget, the source of our wealth, our oil.
Ali Khan.
- I'm so happy you came. - I'm sorry I was late.
- I was getting worried.
- Who was that man sitting next to you?
- Malik?
He's from a very important Armenian family.
- Your father's a prince now.
Does that make you a Princess?
- It does.
I think I love you, Ali Khan..
Even though I'm a Princess.
- Maybe you won't be one for very long.
- What do you mean?
- Don't you lose the title when you get married?
- Is that supposed to be a proposal?
- Yes.
- Will you always love me, Ali Khan?
- Yes.
- And will you stay with me, whatever happens
and take no other wives?
- Yes.
- Won't your father demand I become a Muslim?
- No.
- I've always wanted to go to Paris
more than anywhere in the world.
- I promise I will take you to Paris for our honeymoon.
Now..
Will you marry me?
- I will.
I will, Ali.
- Khan.
Khan.
A telegram for you.
4th AUGUST 1914.
- My dear son, the czar has seen fit
to declare war on various European monarchs.
Return at once to Baku and be ready to do your duty.
- Who's this war against?
- I don't know.
"The German kaiser, the Austrian emperor
"the king of Bavaria
"the king of Prussia, the king of Hungary
the sultan of the ottoman empire... "
- and who are Russia's allies?
- "The king of England, the king of Serbia
"the king of the Belgians
"the president of the French Republic
and the emperor of Japan."
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN
SHIRVANSHIR PALACE
- I know when our family ruled this country
how many of them fought and died on the battlefield..
Your father, your grandfather.
And I feel part of that.
But why should I fight for one Christian monarch
against another?
Why should I fight for Russia's cause, whatever it may be?
We've grown used to thinking of ourselves as part of Russia.
We are not.
They invaded us a hundred years ago
and took away our family's power.
We were an occupied country.
Believe me, father, I shall be proud to die in battle
when the time comes..
But this is not our fight.
- You're crazy.
You mean you're going to pass off this wonderful opportunity?
- Ilyas, we're here
and the front line will be around here
2000 miles away in Belgium.
If we get to fight at all
it will most probably be against the Turks
our cousins, why should I want to do that?
- For the glory.
- Listen, do you care who wins this war?
- No, not in the least.
- You just want to fight. - Yes, I want to be a soldier.
I've always wanted to be.
I'm sorry, I don't understand.
- You'll be jealous when you see me
in my officer's uniform, Ali.
- I'm sure you'll both be brave officers, but why?
- It will be an adventure.
That's the important thing.
- What do you think, Seyid?
- I'm with you.
I don't think this war is any of our business.
- At least I won't have to go back to school.
- Oh!
Beautiful.
- When will you go and see him?
My father.
- Soon.
- Your excellency can assure the czar
there will be no interruption in the oil supply
in the coming months.
There is even scope for an increase.
Prince Ali Khan.
I'm afraid it has to be admitted that, regrettably
war is extremely good for business.
- As you may know, our family were rulers in this region
for nearly 700 years.
- Yes.
- We have retained enough property in the city
to make us financially secure.
- I don't doubt it.
- So.. - Yes?
- I have the honor to ask your Highnesses' permission
to marry Princess Nino.
- This is genuinely an honor, Ali Khan
not only for Nino, but for our entire family.
However..
I can't help feeling
she's still rather young to marry
to say nothing of the differences in background
and in, uh, religion, uh..
Sure this is also of concern to your father.
- No.
I've discussed it with him.
- Well, anyway, main thing is the world has embarked
on a terrible and unpredictable war.
I think we should wait to see its outcome.
Don't you agree?
- Ali Khan.
Are you alright?
What's the matter?
- How dare he?
A hundred years ago, a Kipiani would have kissed my feet
for such an opportunity.
My father will laugh at me.
- He didn't actually say no. - The end of the war.
This war could go on for 20 years.
- What are you gonna do? - We'll run away together.
- You mean, kidnap her?
Well, I'm not against the idea.
It's the traditional way to settle problems of this kind
but it should be the last resort, shouldn't it?
I think..
Someone should explain to prince Kipiani
what a wonderful marriage this would be
for all kinds of political and cultural reasons.
- Who is going to do that?
- I can. Leave it to me.
- Thank you.
- Why did you say at the end of the war?
- I don't think there is any need
to rush into it.
Everyone says it will be over by Christmas.
- But how do you know?
Nobody knows how long it's going to last.
- I thought it would be good for you
to have some thinking time.
- Why do I need thinking time?
- You'd rather just join his harem without thinking?
- But he said he's not gonna take any other wives.
- Nino, don't be so naive.
Once they get what they want
men don't always remember their promises.
- A Georgian, an Azerbaijani and an Armenian
three great Caucasian people.
- Thank you. Thank you so much.
- My wife could tell it to you..
- Recite one of your poems.
- Yeah, well, certainly.
- Really? - No, I don't think so.
- What's happening in the war?
- The Germans have occupied Poland.
Russians are advancing on Baghdad.
It's all the same to us.
- Well, better than school, anyway.
We have horses. We have guns.
- Can't you volunteer for the front?
- They won't take Muslim officers at the front
in case we refuse to fire on other Muslims.
- And they're right.
I don't want to kill my Turkish brothers.
- Courtesy of the officers.
- Pork chops for the boys.
- You see the kind of thing we have to deal with?
You were so right not to join up.
- Hi.
- I'm gonna go. - Okay.
- It's all on me.
- Is Malik making any progress?
- He's certainly trying hard enough.
But my mother still calls you a wild Muslim.
- I don't think anyone's ever called me wild before.
I quite like that.
- I don't think she meant it as a compliment.
- Ah!
Ah!
- I know your friends are serving in the army, Ali.
But between you and me..
I'm sorry, the Russians are doing so well.
- Does it matter to us? - It does.
Because unless the Russians are defeated
we have no chance to achieve what our country most needs.
- And what is that?
- Our independence.
- My father thinks we have no chance of independence.
- I think he is wrong.
Slower. Slower. Hut, one two.
- Ali, it's me. - Any news?
- Malik's here.
He's telling them that in this region
he thinks mixed marriages are the only way forward.
- Is that so? - Yes.
And I think after the war
maybe, even more..
- Alright. Maybe we can see each other later.
- Mm-hmm. - Uh..
More..
Complicated, yeah.
- Oh, hmm. - Hmm.
- So, I'll see you after the opera.
- I think it's time for us to go.
- See you later. - Nino?
Are you coming?
- Bye.
- If Russia takes Turkey and Persia
the czar has said he will close
our mosques and schools and abolish our languages.
And yet the czar asks us for money.
Why should we collaborate
in the destruction of our own culture?
All we can be sure of
is that after the war everything will be quite different.
All the great powers will be weak and exhausted
but we will still have our strength
our money and our oil.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could become
the first Democratic Muslim nation?
- I don't like the way he's trying to portray the czar.
- I agree with Fatali Khan.
We should liberate ourselves.
And I don't mean go back a 100 years ago
to the way it was before the Russians came.
I mean, we should create a modern progressive country
and run it ourselves.
- Thank you so much for agreeing
to accompany me, Mr. Nakhararyan.
I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
- It's my pleasure.
- We have to talk to the young people..
- It was a wonderful evening.
Thank you.
- Wait. Wait.
I like you.
I really like you.
- Wha... what are you doing?
- We can leave the country together.
- We will get married in Moscow. - No.
- Yeah. - And then we'll go to London.
- No, no, no. Malik. - What are you doing?
Let me out. Stop the car! Malik!
Let me out!
Let me go! Let me go!
Stop the car, Malik!
- Good to have your support.
Thank you for inviting me, sir.
- Thank you, Fatali Khan.
- You conducted yourself very well, my son.
- Ali!
Ali.
- Nakhararyan has kidnapped Nino.
- No. They were just going to the opera.
- No. - He was trying to kiss her.
Then he drove off with her.
- What do you think you're doing? - Let me go!
- You better stay with me. - Do you understand?
- Let me go! You can't do this! - No! You can't go.
You're mine now.
I'm not gonna say it again.
- They were heading for the coast road.
- Maybe it's for the best.
- Oh! - Ah! Ah!
- No, Ali.
- Ah!
- Aah!
- Ali.
- Oh.
- What happened?
- I thought..
- You thought what?
- I mean, did he..
- Did he what?
No, he didn't.
He's dead.
- I have 40 men guarding the house.
- You have to leave tonight. - Why?
- The Nakhararyans, they have put a price on your head.
They are going to come looking for you.
I am going to send you to our people in the mountains.
- How long do I have to stay away?
- A very long time.
- Good evening. - Good evening.
- Would you like to sit?
- In the circumstances, Khan..
I'm convinced..
The only honorable solution is for them to marry.
- It cannot be done, prince. - Yes.
It could be done tonight.
- Where is he?
- I believe he has gone to his uncle's in Persia.
- They have to marry.
- I'm sure you'll be able to find her some suitable husband.
- We both know that no one will marry her now.
- Thank you for coming.
- What's this? - Hashish.
It's good for the pain.
- And for the conscience.
- Ali.
- Kazi mullah?
This is Ali Khan Shirvanshir.
He needs your protection.
- Follow me, your honor.
- Ali Khan. Ali Khan.
I'm afraid he's very ill.
- No one is ill for long in Dagestan.
- I'm sorry.
Really, I don't understand what you're saying.
- Prince Kipiani, out of respect
for the Nakhararyan family
our community feels obliged to ask that your daughter
refrain from attending mass
for the foreseeable future.
- I don't know what else I can do.
- Well, you'd better think of something.
Look at her.
Look at you.
We can't go on like this.
- I don't want to go to Moscow.
- I'm afraid, on this occasion we are not asking your opinion.
- I refuse... - the arrangements have already been made.
- Father, please. - No!
- It's quite obvious there's no future for you here.
- There is no future for me in Moscow.
- There is a chance not everyone there
will have heard what happened.
- My parents are sending me to Moscow tomorrow.
- Then it's your duty to obey them.
Is it not?
- If you won't take me, I'll go on my own.
- Nino?
- Yeah.
- Nino.
How did you get here?
- Seyid Mustafa brought me.
I've missed you so much.
- Seyid.
Go fetch the mullah and tell him I need
to get married immediately.
- We don't need a mullah.
I know how to conduct a marriage.
I just need to prepare the papers.
- Good. - In an hour's time then.
- You really want to do this?
- Do you?
- Are you prepared to marry a fallen woman?
- Are you prepared to stay here?
This hut? Won't you be bored?
- No.
- What is your name?
- Ali Khan Shirvanshir. - Son of Safar Khan.
- Your religion?
- Shia Muslim.
- What's your wish?
- To take this woman as my wife.
- What is your name?
- Princess Nino Kipiani.
- Your religion?
- Georgian orthodox.
- What is your wish?
- To be this man's wife.
- Do you wish to retain your religion?
- Yes, I do.
- Please, sign here.
- What... what name should I sign?
- Your new name.
- My dear parents, please don't worry about me.
Ali and I are married
and everything has turned out for the best.
Life is simple in the mountains.
We raise chickens, and we grow our own vegetables.
We work all day
and play a full part in the life of the village.
We have none of the comforts of the city.
But I can honestly say
I have never been so happy in my life.
With all my love, Nino.
- I need something warm.
Something warm. Something warm.
Oh.
My father suggests we make our way to Sweden.
Neutral country.
- Does he suggest how we might get there
in the middle of a war?
- They pay no attention.
- When you write back
tell them we are living the way most people live in our country.
And it makes sense.
- Hurr. - Burrah.
Burrah.
AUTUMN 1917
- It belonged to Ali's mother.
- Thank you so much, Safar Khan.
Thank you.
- Do you fetch the water from the well
every morning, my child?
- Mm-hmm.
- And do you do all the cooking?
- Yes, I do.
- Thank you.
I approve of your wife, Ali Khan..
But she is a very bad cook.
- Safar Khan, can I tempt you to some more?
- No, thank you. Delicious.
I couldn't.
- How's life in Baku?
- All is much the same
except the streets are rather chaotic
because our Russian governor has run away.
- Why would that be?
- The czar abdicated.
- What?
- Yes. So the Russians have all left the city.
And our soldiers are back from the front
released from their oath to the czar.
- But what about the Nakhararyans?
- The entire Nakhararyan family has fled to Moscow.
- And my family?
- I believe they have very sensibly gone to Tbilisi.
- Does that mean we can go back?
- I see no objection.
- We've been happy here. - Do we have to leave?
- This is the best chance we'll ever have
to take our independence.
Was it like this when you left?
- No.
- The revolution in Russia has caused chaos everywhere!
The Russians may have gone, but we are still in danger.
Brothers, come closer, please.
I want to make the situation clear to you.
Our town is surrounded by deserters
from the czar's armies.
They're going village to village
killing everyone in their path.
They've set fire to the oil fields
and are almost upon us.
Desperate and resolved to loot and destroy our houses.
Rape our women.
They outnumber us!
And we have fewer weapons.
I ask you to join us to defend our home
and keep the enemy from our door!
You're back just when we need you most.
- Ali Khan.
- What happened to your eye?
- Piece of Russian shrapnel.
- So one day fighting for the Russians
the next day fighting against them.
- At least they trained us. - Come.
We need to start preparing.
The deserters will be here..
- Please, take these instruments inside
and sterilize them.
- Our job is to protect the old town.
Nobody gets past us and nobody fires
until they get the order.
Get ready. To your positions.
Hey.
- Now!
- Aah!
Aah!
- Mehmed.
Mehmed.
- What happened?
Mehmed. Mehmed.
- We have to go.
- I have to fetch Nino.
- We have to leave. - What?
What about all the wounded?
- The city's about to be destroyed.
We have to leave.
You alright?
I'm staying here with Ilyas.
You have to go with my father to Persia.
- No, I want to stay with you. - No, you can't.
This fight isn't over yet.
- I'll call the baby Ali.
TEHERAN, PERSIA
- This is Yahya Guli.
He will show you to your quarters.
- Welcome to Persia, my lady.
I am your eunuch. Please.
Follow me, Princess.
Please.
- I would think it must be very tiring
to be the only wife of a young husband.
But of course, all you have to do
when he gets too much for you
is to send him off to the dancing boys.
Has he ever given you a disease?
- No.
- You are very lucky with him.
Wear this.
Wear, wear.
It will protect you against any rival.
- Thank you.
- Any news?
- What are all these?
I told you I don't want to wear a veil.
- I am sorry, Princess.
I can't allow you to leave the harem without one.
- What do you mean?
I'm just going to the bazaar.
- You have to wear a veil. - It is the law of the land.
I can't let you be arrested.
- Arrested?
Then I'll stay in.
I'll stay in.
Please go.
Thank you.
Go. Get out.
It's been weeks since I've heard from you, Ali.
I'm so lonely here.
Please come for me.
I'm afraid my state of mind can't be good for the baby.
Promise you'll come as soon as you can.
28th MAY 1918.
- Fatali Khan. - Ali.
- When did you get here? - This afternoon.
The national council have given me a job to do.
- What?
- Well, it's an announcement of a new country.
- Fatali Khan is here to proclaim our independence.
- This is extraordinary.
- Yes! - Yes!
- I declare the creation of a new Southern nation.
It will guarantee civil and political rights
to all its citizens regardless of ethnic origin
religion, class or gender.
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
Let us pledge allegiance here
and say aloud our promise to our new country.
- Our flag is raised. - Our flag is raised.
- And it will never fall. - And it will never fall.
- I thought I'd lost you, Ali.
I thought I'd be here for the rest of my life.
- When can we go home? - Not yet.
But when the baby's born, you'll be able to leave.
- I can't wait that long. - I can't.
I feel like a prisoner.
I can't go out with you. I can't receive guest.
I can't go out to Tehran
because I'm not allowed to mix with unbelievers.
Do you wonder I can't bear it here?
And I can't stand that eunuch another day.
He keeps wanting to paint my nails
and shave all the hair off my body.
I don't want to see him ever again.
And I don't want to see you either.
So, please..
Please.
What's more important to you?
Your wife and child or your country?
- Ali Khan. It's a girl.
- It's a girl, father.
- Next time it will be a boy.
- Hey.
- She's so beautiful.
- I love you.
- I love you too.
- Will you come and join us soon?
- No. I have decided to stay here.
- But what will you find to do in Tehran?
- I don't know.
I will probably marry again.
You should come back when everything falls apart in Baku.
- What do you mean?
- I think you know what I mean.
The war may be over
but our troubles are only just beginning.
Have a safe journey, my son.
- Goodbye, father. - Goodbye, my son.
SUMMER 'l 919.
- Shh, shh.
- Prime minister.
- We're like some blind, helpless newborn creature
trying to swim through shark-infested waters.
Still, at least our neighbors are respecting our independence.
- What worries me, prime minister, is that
we are a small country
and up there are a 160 million Russians
very thirsty for oil.
- You worry too much, Ali Khan.
I thought I'd make you deputy foreign minister.
What do you think?
- Thank you, prime minister.
I will do whatever you wish.
- Good. - Then that's settled.
We need to find a place to entertain our diplomatic guests
and I am told you're redecorating.
- Yes, the palace should be ready in two weeks.
- Any chance you could make that a week?
- I was surprised to find you have an opera house here.
- Yes. Quite a lot of us can read and write as well.
- Sorry for interrupting.
Ali, when you talked to the high commissioner, what did he say?
- He said the treaty of Versailles
is about to Grant us full nationhood
and guarantee diplomatic recognition.
- To independence. - To independence.
AZERBAIJANI-RUSSIAN BORDER, SIX MONTHS LATER
- They were not exaggerating when they said 30,000 men.
- No.
- And I don't believe they're here for their health.
- They can't do anything.
The treaty of Versailles says...
- by the look of them, I'd say not too many of them
have read the treaty of Versailles.
- No.
- The Russians aren't going to march here just like that.
Besides, they've just signed a friendship treaty with us.
- Then why are they massing on the border?
- Maneuvers, they say.
Why have they chosen the closest possible point
to Baku for their maneuvers?
They can be here in three hours.
- It's a bargaining ploy to get us to lower the oil price.
- I think they want it for free.
- I'm happy. I'm happy. - I have a wonderful...
- She is a good girl. - She is a good girl.
Now I'll live forever, yes?
- You'll give me one wish? - Tell me.
- If I ask, you'll say yes? - Depends.
- I want you to come home to Tbilisi with us.
- No. - But you have to.
I want you to tell your husband to leave this place.
It's not safe.
This man Lenin said the revolution will not survive
without Baku oil.
They'll be coming for it.
28th APRIL 'I920.
- My girl.
- Ali Khan? - Yes, Ilyas.
- The Bolsheviks have crossed the border.
They've commandeered trains. They're on their way to Baku.
It's time to leave.
- Alright.
We have to go.
- Prime minister.
I've just been informed that the Bolsheviks
are gaining on us.
We'll make sure you escape across the border.
We'll do whatever it takes to hold them off.
Sir.
- Ilyas, I have known you for a very long time
and you have proved your great courage.
I salute you.
May Allah be with you.
- There's something I need to say to Ilyas.
Ilyas.
Nino, I'm going to stay with Ilyas for a couple of days.
To help him.
- No. No.
- No, no, no, no, no. - I have to.
Ali..
Don't we mean anything to you?
- You mean everything.
- Look what happened last time we were separated.
- It's not the same.
You're not traveling to a strange country.
You're going to your parents.
I have to do this, Nino.
It will be our baby's country when she grows up.
It has to be defended.
I'll be with you on Friday.
- Yeah.
On Friday.
- And we'll go to Paris.
For that honeymoon.
- And we'll, we'll have a house with a garden.
- Yes.
- And our next child will be a boy.
Goodbye.
- Get down!
Ali Khan Shirvanshir died caged 24.
Prime Minister Fatali Khan was assassinated 6 weeks later.
It was 71 years before, in 1997
Azerbaijan reclaimed its independence.
Nino and her daughter escaped to Paris, they never returned to Baku