Turkish TV series to be shot in Azerbaijan’s Baku

BAKU - Anatolia News Agency

Some of the episodes of Turkish TV series Europe, Europe to be shot in Baku city of Azerbaijan. The actors and actresses are currently in Baku to start the shootings.

Turkish TV series “Avrupa Avrupa,” (Europe, Europe) will be shot in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku. The first episode to be shot will feature in the new series under the title “Azerbaijani Adventure.”

A team consisting of 25 people will be going to Baku to shoot a number of episodes in the city. Avrupa Avrupa had earlier received the “best series” award from the Turkey-Azerbaijan parliamentary friendship group, whose aim is to develop cultural relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Baku ambassador, Hulusi Kılıç said more art partnerships would be coming in the next few months. Speaking to Anatolia News Agency, the leading actor of the series Kadir Çöpdemir said it was his first time in Baku and he felt like he was at home. “I will return to Azerbaijan as a tourist as soon as possible.”

Azerbaijan stopped broadcasting foreign series

However, the Azerbaijani National Radio and TV Association had earlier announced that they had decided to stop broadcasting Turkish, Indian, Russian and Brazilian series’ on Azerbaijani TV.
According to the decision, the broadcasting of foreign series stopped on May 1. The association’s president Nursherivan Meherremli said the decision had been taken in consideration of the behavior of the youth and their development.

Meherremli added that the rule would not apply to foreign films, but only for foreign series’.
However, the academic Zeynal Memmedli said TV stations channels would experience a crisis if the decision went into action, adding that it was particularly wrong to exclude Turkish series’, as Turkey has a similar cultural background to Azerbaijan. Turkish television series exports were worth more than $50 million in 2010, with more than 70 programs watched in more than 20 countries, particularly in the Middle East, the Balkans and Turkic language-speaking countries. 2010 set a new export record for Turkish television programs.

Exported productions include domestically popular series’ such as “Aşk-ı Memnu,” “Ihlamurlar Altında,” “Ezel,” “Gümüş,” and “Yaprak Dökümü.”