"GOLDEN APRICOT" EXPANDS ITS PROGRAMS
Marietta Makarian
AZG Armenian Daily
20/06/2008
Culture
"This year the festival will have two new programs", informed the
leaders of the 5th Yerevan international film-festival "Golden
Apricot" at a press conference held on June 18 in RA Ministry
of Culture. Instead, they made a decision "to renounce the boring
opening and closing ceremonies, concerts, fire-works, and to direct
the money at improvement of the festival’s professional level",
informed Director of the festival Haroutiun Khachatrian.
Roman Balayan’s "Birds of paradise" film will open the festival.
Atom Egoyan film "Worship" that was involved in the main competitive
program of Cannes Festival and got the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
will close the festival.
With the assistance of RA Minister of Culture "All-Armenian
film-project" forum will be held in the framework of "Golden Apricot"
with participation of Armenian film directors and producers of
Armenia and abroad. The project will be led by UWA secretary Davit
Muradian. "It is anticipated to work out two film-projects – feature
and documentary. Artists of different countries will shoot 10-minute
feature and documentary films under headings "Home" (feature) and
"Land" (documentary) that in the end will be shown at 2010 festival.
The next program of the festival is wholly dedicated to the 100th
anniversary of birth of William Saroyan.
The Armenian audience will be first time shown three films shot
in Hollywood in 1940s based on Saroyan’s film scenarios and works,
among them Saroyan film "Good work" shot in 1942.
Film critic Artsvi Bakhchinian informed that Saroyan’s films
and relation of Saroyan’s works with cinematographic art will be
presented in the lectures of South California University Professor
Tigran Giuyumchian.
Artsvi Bakhchinian’s "Four dreams – Saroyan and Hollywood actresses"
book presentation will be held in the framework of the festival. The
book involves Saroyan essays on four famous Hollywood actresses
Lillian Gishey, Greta Garbo, Miriam Hopkins and Merlin Monroe –
original and translated versions into Armenian and Russian.
"Golden Apricot" festival together with RA Ministry of Culture and
EC will hold a conference under heading "Cinematography as means of
intercultural dialogue" organized by "Japan Foundation".
Director of the festival, filmmaker Haroutiun Khachatrian informed
that with the efforts of the festival general sponsor "Vivacell"
company the tickets of the films will be available at 300 drams
instead of 1200-1500 on July 13-20.