Azerbaijani journalist shares insights after filming in Libya

In a conversation with Daily Baku, Anastasiya Lavrina, journalist and lead documentary producer on AnewZ TV, said that what she witnessed in Libya differed sharply from the image often presented in international headlines.

According to her, while foreign coverage frequently reduces the country to conflict and political fragmentation, the reality on the ground showed functioning institutions, moving trade, and a visible sense of routine in everyday life.

Lavrina noted that meetings in Tripoli with ministers and energy officials were focused less on instability and more on management, rebuilding efforts, and maintaining critical infrastructure. She observed that Libya, in her view, cannot be properly understood from a distance or through studio analysis, as the country reveals itself only through direct presence across different locations.

She explained that on some days the team was inside government institutions in the capital, while on others they were filming at oil and gas facilities that remain central to Libya’s economy. Despite years of unrest, she said she observed that fuel exports continue and industrial zones remain operational in a country that holds Africa’s largest proven oil reserves.

Speaking about Misrata, Lavrina said that time spent at the Free Zone and port offered a clearer picture of Libya’s current state than political rhetoric. She described scenes where cargo ships docked, trucks passed through security checkpoints, and warehouses operated in an almost routine manner. These observations, she stressed, reflected an economy that is still functioning despite prolonged instability.

Lavrina also told Daily Baku that the presence of Türkiye and Italy was noticeable not only in diplomatic relations but in everyday operations — from construction projects to energy partnerships and security cooperation that shape activity on the ground.

Access to certain strategic locations, she added, required lengthy negotiations and careful coordination. In Zawiya — an area known both for critical energy infrastructure and heightened security sensitivity — the film crew operated at their own risk, without formal permission, determined to document realities that often remain unseen and off-camera.

This access, gained under challenging conditions, became an essential and defining part of the film. She noted that in some cases the crew moved with a local escort vehicle and remained in constant contact with coordinators due to potential risks.

One of the unexpected observations during filming, Lavrina shared, was how well local officials and professionals were informed about Azerbaijan. She said several interlocutors were familiar with Azerbaijan’s recent history, including the post-conflict settlement process with Armenia and the outcome of the 44-day Patriotic War.

Beyond political and energy sites, Lavrina emphasized that Libya’s cultural and historical layers remain largely overlooked in international reporting. From the ancient ruins of Leptis Magna to the historic Red Castle in Tripoli, she said the country’s heritage, coastline, and market life reveal a dimension rarely seen abroad. In her view, without years of civil conflict, Libya could easily have been one of the Mediterranean’s most attractive destinations for travelers.

Lavrina told Daily Baku that all these observations later formed the basis of a frontline documentary filmed across Tripoli and several strategic locations in Libya, offering viewers a rare, ground-level perspective on the country.

The film is now available across AnewZ’s social media platforms, offering viewers a rare, ground-level look at a side of Libya that international media seldom get to cover directly.