The Golden Apricot Film Festival In Nagorno Karabakh

At the opening of the project, the Minister of Culture of Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Narine Aghbalyan said, that Golden Apricot made it possible for the local audience to participate in important cultural activities. “If we wish the second Armenian state to experience a cultural rebirth as well, we should ensure such actions to continue and become a lifestyle”. Referring to “The Color of Pomegranate”, the Vice Director of the Festival, Ara Khanjyan, mentioned that it was the 40th anniversary of the film release and the 85th anniversary of Parajanov’s birthday this year.

The films of the movie festival have been shown in the hall of “Narekatsi” Artists’ Union in the city-fortress of Shushi, Nagorno Karabakh. The “Border”, a film by Harutyun Khachatryan, was shown in line with other films, and the film director was present himself at the premiere in Stepanakert.

The founding director of the “Golden Apricot” festival, a film director Harutyun Khachatryan has appreciated the local audience. “I have seen many good, interested eyes, such that are rare even in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan”. He thinks that film making is an important tool, however unused by our side, while other countries and nations have appeared smarter in this matter.

“The “Golden Apricot” is in reality not a festival but a program, call it strategic, cultural or national, whose goal is to turn the language of cinema into a means of telling the others about us, of taking our history into the world… Years ago, while working in the Foreign Ministry, I developed a viewpoint on what is to be turned into state politics and what is to be left for the private. Unfortunately, at that time I became a laughing stock, but now everything has changed”, says the festival director. He is sure that one film festival can tell Europe more about Armenia than several Foreign Ministries together. He also acknowledges that, unlike Armenia's capital, Yerevan, which is an inconvenient site for holding the festival for the reason of “clash of too many interests”, the people in marzes (regions) are more free and open for accepting the spiritual films.

In the frames of the festival one could also see the “Autumn”, a film by hamshen Armenian O. Alper,; “In Toros Roslins’ Footsteps” and “The Vandals of the 20th Century” by the scenario of S. Gharabaghtsyan , as well as Karen Hovhannisyan’s “The Ghost”.

By Gohar Hakobyan, Yerevan-Stepanakert
For Aravot Daily
Translated by Sara Margaryan