Review | My Magical World — A rural Azerbaijani look at inequality and the quest for fame

3.5/5★

Writer-director Elvin Adigozel examines the dark side of fame and showbiz in his latest film, a tragicomic psychodrama set in rural Azerbaijan.

Adigozel’s sophomore feature, My Magical World, had its world premiere on 28 April at the goEast Festival of Central and Eastern European Film.

Filmed in rich, warm tones, it offers a glimpse into an Azerbaijan away from the glitz and glamour of oil-rich Baku, where life is quiet and unassuming, if a little dull.

The movie centres on the relationship between professional host Sahil (Jahangir Malikov) and his best friend and lead singer Babek (Kamil Nazim). The two dream of taking their band, which currently performs at local weddings or in grubby cafes, to Baku to perform their hit song, ‘My Magical World’, on the Baku Star television programme, an analogue of the very popular real Azerbaijani show Azeri Star. If they can make it onto the show, they can become world famous — at least this is the assumption.

From early on, it is clear Adigozel’s view of Baku is one where money-grabbing elites hold sway. Indeed, the main presenter of Baku Star makes it clear that anyone can appear on his show as long as they pay ₼3,000 ($1,800) — talent matters little.

This contrast between the extravagant Baku elites and the poor situation of those in rural Azerbaijan is highlighted repeatedly throughout the film. Money becomes a key plot point, as the band members struggle just to stay afloat while also attempting to source the fees necessary to gain entry onto the show.

Despite the honest depiction of the vast inequality in the country, the film resorts to an unfortunate, if not surprising, characterisation of women, who are shown throughout the film as one-dimensional objects to be poorly treated by the male characters in their schemes to make their own lives better.

For example, there is Babek’s mother, who puts her entire house and all of its belongings up against a bank loan for her only son, who pays her back by kicking her out of her room to sleep with his new girlfriend and then gambling the funds away. There is Sahil’s wife, who is told to ‘mind her own business’ when her husband takes their savings — in the form of gold dentures — to sell to recoup Babek’s losses, never mind their daughter’s future.

Even Zarif (Kamala Israfilova), Babek’s ostensible girlfriend and partner, is only there to instigate Babek to think about his future and to act as a threat to Sahil and the future he imagines.

As Babek’s dreams of making it in the big city begin to grow a little too real for Sahil, the film really picks up pace, becoming a psychological thriller delving into the depths of the bond that ties the two friends together.

While a beautiful film, the plot itself is rather familiar. The main character gambling the much-needed funds away is a classic trope to cause  group conflict, and as Sahil begins to grow more and more frantic in his attempts to keep Babek in their hometown, it is clear that strife and violence are on the horizon.

As a second film, it is a solid effort, if a tad formulaic and predictable.

My Magical World by Elvin Adigozel will be available to stream on Klassiki until 22 May as part of their coverage of the 2025 goEast Festival of Central and Eastern European Film.

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