Date of establishment: 1923

The art of "cinema", which took its first steps into the world in December 1895, arrived in Azerbaijan only two years later, in 1898. In January 1998, the first film screenings were organized in Baku. These were mainly film plots shot in France.
The secretary of the Baku Scientific Photographic Society, photographer Alexander Michon, had purchased a film camera from the Lumière brothers, the founders of cinema. Starting in May 1898, he shot several plots about Baku life.
At the beginning of the last century, foreign film companies began to engage in film production in Baku. The Pirone brothers' film factory, the "Pate" company, the "Filma" joint-stock company and other foreigners were shooting films in Baku.
On July 4, 1920, the Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR Nariman Narimanov signed a decree “On the nationalization of cinematography and photography enterprises”. The Art Department was established within the People's Commissariat of Culture.
On December 20, 1920, at a meeting of the board of the Azerbaijan People's Commissariat of Education, a decision was made “On the opening of a cinematographic film factory”.
By a special decree of the Council of People's Commissars dated March 5, 1923, the Azerbaijan Photo-Cinema Department was established.
On April 28, 1923, the First State Film Factory was opened. The history of the “Azerbaijanfilm” film studio also begins with that event.
Before the revolution, at the intersection of Sharg Halkları Street (now Azadlig Avenue) and Birja Street (now Uzeyir Hajibeyli Street), there was a “Renessans” restaurant, and various warehouse buildings were located in a row with it. Those restaurant and warehouse buildings were given to the AFKI. The building was transformed into a film factory: the restaurant hall was significantly expanded, the partitions of small rooms were removed, and the walls were raised. Thus, the large hall was transformed into a new cinema pavilion with an area of ​​36X16 meters. The lemonade factory in the yard was demolished, and a film processing workshop and other auxiliary buildings were built in its place. Cinema equipment was brought from abroad.
The official opening of the film factory took place on April 28, 1923, with the participation of government member Samad Aghamali oglu and representatives of the city public.
The foundation of the current building of the film studio was laid in 1951 and was ready after 15 years. In 1966, film production began in this building.
The Azerbaijani cinema structure was called variously in subsequent years.