Famous love story ‘Ali and Nino’ film premieres at Sundance Festival

A feature film based on a legendary love story between a Christian Georgian girl and a Muslim Azerbaijani prince will premiere at the largest independent cinema festival in the United States (US) this month.

Debuting alongside 16 other feature works at the Festival, Ali and Nino by British director Asif Kapadia will screen for three days of the Sundance Film Festival.

The feature film's story followed Azeri noble family descendant Ali Khan and Georgian princess Nino Kipiani in their romantic relationship as Azerbaijan was caught up in turmoil of war for independence.

Principal role performers Adam Bakri (L), Maria Valverde and director Asif Kapadia pose for a photograph. Photo from Ali and Nino Film/Facebook.

Kapadia cast actors Maria Valverde and Adam Bakri in the principal roles for the feature work praised by the Sundance preview.

Ali & Nino captures a place and time rarely seen on screen. Director Asif Kapadia impressively shifts back and forth between documentary and fiction filmmaking styles," the Festival website said.

Announced at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, the film was based on a famous novel of the same title by an unknown writer with the pseudonym Kurban Said.

Originally written in German and later translated into more than 30 languages since it was first published in Austria in 1937, the piece was called "one of the most original works of [the 20th] Century literature" by the film's creators.

The novel was also available in a number of earlier and new editions in English.

Said's plot highlighted dramatic developments in the Caucasus in the early 20th Century, a backdrop for the story of the young couple.

Director Asif Kapadia received critical acclaim for his recent award-winning documentaries Senna (2010) and Amy (2015).

The Sundance Film Festival will run from January 21-31 in the US.

The full film schedule of the Festival can be viewed here.