The making of Azerbaijan’s political dynasty

CivilNet traces the rise and consolidation of Azerbaijan’s ruling dynasty, from Heydar Aliyev’s Soviet-era leadership to Ilham Aliyev’s rule today. Through archival footage, expert commentary, and eyewitness accounts, the film explores how power was passed from father to son, how oil wealth and nationalism sustained the regime, and how dissent was gradually silenced. Two decades after Ilham’s first election, Azerbaijan stands as a state shaped by one family’s pursuit of control, and by the enduring consequences of that legacy.