BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 2. The premiere of the
feature film 44, dedicated to the heroism of the Azerbaijani people
and the historic Victory in the 44-day Patriotic War, will take
place soon. The filmmakers previously unveiled the film's official
trailer.
One of the leading roles in the film is played by renowned Turkish
actress Özge Gürel, who joined the project's star-studded cast
alongside prominent Azerbaijani actors.
44 is a large-scale war drama about heroism, love, and the strength of the human spirit, set against the backdrop of the Patriotic War. At the heart of the story are the lives of people who stood up to defend their homeland, as well as Special Forces soldiers whose courage, resilience, and self-sacrifice became a symbol of the generation that defended Azerbaijan's independence and territorial integrity.
The film's main characters are Special Forces officer Rashad Khalilov, Turkish orthopedic surgeon Zeynep Ozdemir, who works in Azerbaijan, and Colonel Ramazan Karimov, commander of a Special Forces unit.
The film has become one of the largest cinematic projects in Azerbaijan's history. It stands out for its production scale, extensive filming geography, the involvement of a large number of specialists, the use of advanced technical solutions, and international cooperation. Before filming began, the entire cast, including Özge Gürel, underwent special military tactical training at the Special Forces training center.
Born in 1987, Özge Gürel is one of Türkiye's best-known and most sought-after actresses. She began her acting career in 2010, making her debut in the television series Kızım Nerede?, and gained widespread recognition through leading roles in the popular productions Kiraz Mevsimi, Dolunay, and Bay Yanlış.
For her performance in the feature film Kar Kırmızı, Gürel was nominated for Best Actress at the 57th Golden Orange International Film Festival. In 2015, she received two prestigious awards: Comedy Actress of the Year and Actress with the Most Remarkable Achievement.
Thanks to her successful work in film and television, Özge Gürel has gained widespread international recognition and a multimillion-strong fan base. She became especially popular outside Türkiye through the series Kiraz Mevsimi, which was the first Turkish TV series to be broadcast on Italy's Canale 5.
In 2025, the actress received the International Star award at the Italian Global Series Festival, held in Italy.
