Ali and Nino

In the waning years of the Russian Empire, Ali, a Muslim from Azerbaijan, and Nino, a Georgian Orthodox heiress, meet in Baku and fall in love. Their romance blossoms amid opulent palaces and mounting political tension. Both families expect traditional matches, placing their bond under pressure from the start.

Armenian Malik, Ali’s friend who has also fallen for Nino, abducts her with the aim of marrying her himself. The kidnapping thrusts Nino into peril and tests Ali’s loyalty and courage. Malik’s bold move sets off a chain of violence surrounding their love.

Ali confronts Malik and kills him with a dagger, a brutal act that demonstrates the peril surrounding their relationship. In the clash, Ali is badly injured and must flee to survive. He escapes to Dagestan to heal and to hide from Malik’s powerful family.

The Russian Revolution erupts and Nicholas II is deposed, shattering the imperial order that framed their lives. Political chaos sweeps the Caucasus and Baku, complicating every future the lovers might imagine. The new realities force them to navigate an uncertain liberation.

Tamar worries that Nino may never find a husband and schemes to send her daughter to Moscow for safety. Various factions push their own plans for Nino’s fate, further entangling the couple’s hopes. Amid the turbulence, the romance between Ali and Nino persists as a beacon.

Ever loyal Mustafa orchestrates a reunion for the couple in the remote mountains, away from city intrigues. In the isolation of the peaks, Ali and Nino renew their bond and reaffirm their commitment. Mustafa’s intervention rekindles the possibility of a shared future.

After a night of intimate reunion, Ali and Nino marry, with Mustafa performing the ceremony and no priest required. The union transcends family expectations and religious differences, sealing their love. They embrace a simpler life away from aristocratic pressures.

The newlyweds settle into a simple country life that suits them, even as a new nation—the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic—claims independence. Their relationship stabilizes amid a fresh political landscape. Despite upheaval nearby, they discover a peaceful domestic happiness.

Ali returns to Baku and is appointed Deputy Foreign Minister, stepping into a leadership role for the fledgling republic. He works to shape foreign policy and to secure treaties with neighboring states. The role marks a shift from personal romance to national responsibility.

The new republic faces a looming Bolshevik threat as Russian troops mass along the border, estimated around 30,000. The government flees by train to escape the approaching turmoil. The escape underscores the fragile window of independence.

With danger looming, Nino and their daughter begin a perilous journey toward Paris seeking safety from the advancing forces. Ali remains to defend his country as events unfold around them. The couple’s fate grows increasingly separated by geography and politics.

On the road toward safety, Ali jumps from a train and detonates a bridge to slow the Bolshevik advance. Nino reaches safety with their daughter, but Ali is shot and killed defending his homeland. His sacrifice cements his legacy as both a lover and a patriot.

The epilogue states that Ali Khan Shirvanshir died at age 24, and Fatali Khan was assassinated six weeks later. Seventy-one years later, in 1991, Azerbaijan reclaimed its independence, and Nino and her daughter escaped to Paris but never returned to Baku. The film closes on the enduring memory of sacrifice and the cycles of political change.