Day of the National Cinema in Azerbaijan is celebrated on August 2 of each year, due to the order of national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, signed on 18 December, 2000.
After two years since the first cinema show in France - in 1898 in Baku on August 2 Alexander Mikhailovich Mishon, publisher and photographer, secretary of scientific-photo of Baku, had arranged independent demonstrations of plots "Oil fountain fire in Bibi Heybat”, "Ceremony of seeing-of of His Majesty Emir of Bukhara", “The Caucasian dance” newsreel -documentary and "You are caught" feature plots. As a result of this historical fact by order of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev dated December 18, 2000, August 2 was declared as professional holiday of cinema workers – day of Azerbaijani cinema.
In May 1918 after declaration of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan the new government had implemented many cultural and political reforms. Diplomatic and cultural-economic relations with foreign world gave impetus to bringing of first samples of world cinema to Baku and new public views. As a result, the number of lovers of cinematography began to increase in Baku. In 1918, they united in “The Council of servicemen of Cinematography and Theatre".
The film studio was established in Azerbaijan in 1923.The films studio had following names in 1923-26 as "Azerbaijan Office of the Photo-Cinema" (AFKI), in 1926-30-ess as "Azdovletkino", in 1930-33 as "Azerkino", in 1933 as "Azfilm", in 1934 as "Azdovletkinosenayesi", in 1935-40-es as "Azerfilm", in 1941- 59 as "Baku studio", but since 1961 till date it named as “Azerbaijanfilm” named after Jafar Jabbarly.