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Vodka Lemon to be Screened in Los Angeles

LAEMMLE THEATRES Weekly Newsletter
11/17/2004

Schedule & Showtimes for Week of 11/19 through 11/25

New Films Opening 11/19

Vodka Lemon: starts FRIDAY at the FAIRFAX 3 & ONE COLORADO

In the snowy badlands of post soviet Armenia, village life is nearing
subsistence level. The Russians have long departed (along with their
subsidies), and almost all of the villages young men have gone abroad
for work. In the heart of sixtysomething year old Hamo, a handsome
widower living with his alcoholic oldest son and his beautiful
granddaughter, hope rests through his youngest son, who has recently
immigrated to France in search of work. Hamo’s sole possessions on earth
– seven dollars a month for military pension, an old armoire, a broken
soviet television set and his military suit – are barely enough to
sustain him, leaving the grizzled patriarch to spend his days awaiting
word – and money – from Paris. Biding time, Hamo finds contentment through
his daily bus trips to the local cemetery where his wife has been laid
to rest. It’s during one of these visits that Hamo notices Nina, a
beautiful fifty-year old widow who, like Hamo, is struggling to survive
the harsh conditions of life in the village following the loss of her
husband. Although an initial attraction between the two is clear, Hamo’s
loyalty to his dead wife and Nina’s shyness forestalls the two from
allowing the sparks to fly. Nina retreats to her job at the desolate
village bar, Vodka Lemon, and Hamo hustles home with hope waning that
his son in Paris has mailed him. The letter does in fact arrive but the
money Hamo is so desperate for isn’t included. Retreating back to the
cemetery, Hamo once again runs into Nina and with a few kind gestures
the two begin a September-December romance that will lead to the film’s
indelible conclusion: a Chagall-like vision of love among the ruins.

“A little gem that takes a potentially grim subject and mines it for
maximum humor and insight.” — David Stratton, VARIETY

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Moscow Times (subscription), Russia
Nov 19 2004

Uncommon Senses

Casting blind or deaf actors may be relatively standard in Europe and
the United States, but it hadn’t been done much in Russia, until now.

By Tom Birchenough
Published: November 19, 2004

Setting a film in a home for the blind, deaf and dumb might sound
like a recipe for yet another bleak, moralizing post-Soviet film, but
Roman Balayan’s “Bright is the Night” is an exception to the rule.
Social commentary is simply not something the veteran Armenian-born,
Ukrainian-based director does. If anything, “Bright is the Night”
resembles his costumed 1995 adaptation of Ivan Turgenev’s “First
Love,” with its lush pastoral setting and atmosphere of slow but
unoppressive decay, and its understated treatment of the emotions
that connect a small number of characters in close proximity. It’s
summer, and the majority of residents are away from the institution,
leaving just a handful of staff and patients on the premises.

The main player is a young therapist, Alexei, played by Andrei
Kuzichev, who was seen earlier this year in a supporting role in
Vladimir Mashkov’s “Papa.” Though obviously devoted to his profession
and to those he looks after, he has plenty of extra time during the
summer months for wandering the forests and fishing in the lake with
the institution’s janitor, an amiable drunk named Petrovich (Vladimir
Gostyukhin).

But Alexei’s idyll is turned upside down with the arrival of an
attractive medical resident, Lika, played by another relative
newcomer, Olga Sutulova, whom he first encounters sunbathing in the
nude and later discovers to share his enthusiasm for engaging
patients by kindling their emotions for each other. Needless to say,
Lika and Alexei’s new-age therapeutic techniques raise the hackles of
the institute’s more traditional-minded director, Zinaida (Irina
Kupchenko), as does their growing romantic involvement. Zinaida has
long felt affection for Alexei, while rejecting the advances of the
institution’s other therapist, Dima, played by Alexei Panin.

If that sounds like a prelude to a major dramatic crisis, it isn’t.
Instead, the film is dominated by slow interactions between the
therapists and their patients, through Braille and a kind of sign
language made of hand and body contact. These scenes are made all the
more effective for the fact that the amateur actors playing the
patients are themselves either blind, deaf or dumb. Such
versimilitude has become reasonably standard for Europe or the United
States in art-house films, but is extremely rare in Russia to date.

Moving moments do emerge, particularly in the interactions between
Alexei and Vitya, a young boy whose arrival at the institute
precipitates the film’s denouement — if that’s what the final scene
can be called, given that the revelations themselves can’t be spoken
out loud. Climbing trees and running through the fields with Vitya,
Alexei reaches the stage, crucial to his method, when he feels that
his combination of touch and body sign language has allowed him to
“hear” the voice of the child. Once that bond is established, Alexei
is too devoted to abandon the lad, even if that means abandoning his
love.

Production values are modest, and certainly reflect the limited funds
available to this Russian-Ukrainian co-production. But
cinematographer Bogdan Verzhitsky does a great deal with the assets
he has. At a nighttime open-air dance scene toward the end, his
camera centers on two patients who have obviously responded to
Alexei’s treatment and found emotional engagement with each other,
contrasted with close-ups of eye contact between the other characters
who have not.

The paradox with “Bright is the Night” — a film that will catch some
international attention, given the reputation of its director and his
co-screenwriter Rustam Ibragimbekov — is how little interest it will
provoke among Russia’s multiplex-going viewers today. The small
late-afternoon audience with whom this critic watched the film was
dominated by people well into their 40s, who responded well. Most
likely, Balayan’s film will find its place on a mainstream television
broadcast sometime in the future, where it will appeal greatly to
those viewers — Soviet-era, yes — for whom a trip to the cinema is
no longer a possibility.

“Bright is the Night” (Noch Svetla) is playing in Russian at Dom
Khanzhonkova.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 18 2004

CE committee to hear report on Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

British parliament member David Atkinson will deliver a report on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict in a meeting of the Council of Europe
(CE) Political Committee to be held in Paris on Wednesday and
attended by Azerbaijani MPs Samad Seyidov and Asim Mollazada.
Earlier the Azerbaijani side approved the first version of the
report, the major part of which has been prepared by the incumbent CE
Secretary General Terry Davis, while the Armenia termed the version
as a threat to its national interests. *

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Nov 18 2004

ARMENIAN GENETIC REGISTRY TO BE CREATED IN 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS: Tamara Sarkisian, the director
of a National Academy of Sciences affiliated medical genetics
registry center, told Armenpress that the national genetic registry
will be set up in Armenia in 2007 that will allow to have the overall
genetic picture of Armenians. She said the center was officially
opened in 1999, though researches had been made since 1997.
She said genetic studies allow more precise diagnoses of
illnesses, their origin and to carry out preventive measures. The
center, the sole one in the region, was created with the assistance
of the government and international donor organizations. Tamara
Sarkisian said the center cooperates with counterpart organizations
in Europe, USA and Russia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Diario Armenia

November 4, 2004

Turquía celebra su independencia construida con el genocidio y la
usurpación de nuestros territorios

Miembros de Unión Juventud Armenia repudiaron la impunidad del
Estado turco en la celebración del aniversario de la creación de
esa republica.

`Ante una fuerte tormenta, el pesimista se queja del viento, el
optimista espera que cambie, el realista ajusta las velas’. En
Unión Juventud Armenia, hace tiempo que elegimos nuestro camino, el
camino de la protesta pacífica y efectiva, como vienen siendo los
pasados 24 de abril, y como lo serán también los próximos.

Esto se vio reflejado una vez mas el pasado viernes 29 de octubre,
fecha en que el estado turco, celebra el aniversario de la
fundación de la república de Turquía, supuestamente
occidental, moderna, y democrática.

A las 12:30 del mediod?ía, del día en cuestión, unos 30
jóvenes nos dirigimos a la residencia del embajador turco, donde
sorpresivamente desarrollamos una inteligente y efectiva actividad de
difusión de nuestra causa, y donde también manifestamos nuestro
rechazo ante la celebración de este acontecimiento de la negra
historia de Turquía.

Nuestras voces y los volantes que entregábamos, mostraban las
fuerza de nuestro reclamo en el siguiente slogan: `estado
turco… ¿y los derechos humanos? Un estado fundado sobre sangre
armenia.’

Muchos diplomáticos y representantes de distintas naciones del
mundo quedaron impactados con nuestra presencia en el lugar y todos
ahí miraban asombrados ante el incansable sonar de nuestro móvil
parlante, que repetía una y otra vez lo que nosotros queríamos
transmitir: `Nosotros jóvenes argentinos descendientes de armenios,
repudiamos hoy….’.

Algunas cosas de las ocurridas el pasado viernes, nos demuestran el
éxito de esta actividad. En primer lugar, la cobertura
periodística de la manifestación por parte de medios del
ámbito grafico, radial y televisivo, este ultimo repitiendo las
imágenes de nuestra manifestación durante el fin de semana
haciendo de público conocimiento las imágenes obtenidas por las
cámaras. En segundo lugar, la enorme cantidad de gente que
recibió nuestros folletos, tanto diplomáticos que ingresaban al
agasajo, como gente en la calle, o en sus automóviles, y que
también visualizaron nuestros carteles, o los llamativos
trípodes.

Por último en tercer lugar, el embajador de Turquía, nos
envío un comunicado, desde el interior de la residencia, por medio
del encargado de relaciones publicas de la embajada, en el cual nos
pedía que cesáramos con nuestra pacifica manifestación, ya
que entorpecíamos la normal ejecución del acto que puertas
adentro intentaban realizar. Por supuesto nuestra respuesta ante ese
pedido fue negativa.

Se demuestra una vez mas que ya no son válidos esos argumentos que
algunos en forma ridícula aun utilizan contra nosotros, alegando
que las manifestaciones de la juventud siempre terminan en violencia,
y que estas carecen de contenido.

Ponemos fin a esta carta esperando que cada vez mas gente apoye esta
causa justa, y deseando que nunca mas en estas tierras, ni en ninguna
otra, un armenio festeje al lado de un turco la fundación de la
republica genocida, hasta que Turquía no reconozca su crimen.

Unión Juventud Armenia de la Federación Revolucionaria Armenia

E-mail: [email protected]

(Diario Armenia 11/04/04)

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Zerkalo, Baku, in Russian
17 Nov 04, p 1,2

AZERI RIGHTS ACTIVIST URGES SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS WITHOUT EUROPE’S
INTERVENTION

The Ago Group of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) is expected to pay a visit to Baku shortly. Its members will
become familiar with the fulfillment of Azerbaijan’s commitments to
the Council of Europe, the situation on human rights and freedoms and
the preparations for municipal elections (on 17 December).

The visitors will tour the regions and penitentiary institutions and
meet convicted opposition members (for organizing post-election riots
in Baku on 15-16 October). Besides, they are scheduled to meet human
rights activists and representatives of the official circles,
political parties and public associations.

(Passage omitted: irrelevant details)

The head of the Azerbaijani foundation of democratic development,
Murad Sadaddinov, and a member of the monitoring group of human
rights organizations, Saida Qocamanli, have shared their views on the
forthcoming visit with Zerkalo.

Sadaddinov said that the members of the group will visit not only
Azerbaijan, but Armenia and Georgia as well.

(Passage omitted: known details)

Asked about possible results of the visit of the Ago Group,
Sadaddinov said: “The Committee of Ministers is the only Council of
Europe entity whose decisions are mandatory for all members of this
organization. Their opinions play a positive role in resolving
certain issues pertaining to human rights and democracy.”

Qocamanli agreed with Sadaddinov. She said the main topic of
discussion during the meeting of the foreign visitors with human
rights activists will be the issue of political prisoners. She said
that this topical issue was actually a hot potato, being one of the
main commitments of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe.

The list compiled by the members of the monitoring group now includes
a total of 62 political prisoners, while this number was 716 before,
she noted. “We are concerned over this issue because a new cohort of
inmates comprising those involved in the October events and the
leaders of opposition parties has emerged in the country,” she said.

The sides will focus on public TV and the freedom of speech during
the meeting, as well as discuss the fulfillment by Azerbaijan of the
European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,
Qocamanli said.

Speaking about a possible outcome of the visit, the human rights
activist said: “We should not pin hopes on the Council of Europe with
regard to the problem of human rights, but deal with it ourselves. I
think there are issues that we can resolve ourselves.”

As an example, Qocamanli cited the last year meeting of the
monitoring group of human rights organizations with high-ranking
officials in the hierarchy of Azerbaijan’s ruling pyramid. About 30
political prisoners have been released following meetings of this
kind, she said. “I am not in favour of having all our ‘vexed
problems’ discussed at the Council of Europe. I am for resolving our
problems inside the country,” Qocamanli said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Rzeczpospolita, Warsaw in Polish
18 Nov 04

Polish general: Our troops to stay in Iraq; “new allies” may join

Text of an interview with Gen Mieczyslaw Cieniuch, deputy chief of
the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, by Jacek Przybylski
entitled “The sector will remain under Polish command” published by
Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita on 18 November

Przybylski The third turn of duty of the Polish military contingent
in Iraq will complete its mission at the end of January. Will the
fourth tour really be smaller?

Cieniuch Yes. The exact number of men, however, will be specified in
a decision the president is to make in December. The size of our
contingent, naturally, will depend on how events in Iraq unfold.

Przybylski Will the south-central sector continue to be commanded by
a Polish general in the first half of 2005?

Cieniuch Yes. The strongest candidate for this post is Lt-Gen
Waldemar Skrzypczak, who currently commands the 11th Airborne Cavalry
Division in Zagan. This division will be the core of the fourth tour.
Gen Skrzypczak has taken part in all the preparations for the mission
and has paid a reconnaissance visit to Iraq.

Przybylski Is the Ministry of National Defence MON carrying out any
negotiations with the United States on handing over responsibility
for the so-called Polish sector?

Cieniuch No. Poland is not negotiating any such issue with the United
States. Poland will continue to be responsible for the central-south
sector.

Przybylski Hungarian troops are to pull out in December. Bulgaria is
also planning to downsize its contingent. Are any countries offering
to send more men? Do we have any new allies?

Cieniuch Yes. Armenia and Bosnia and Hercegovina have expressed
willingness to join the Centre-South Multinational Division. We do
not know of any plans Bulgaria may have regarding the troop
reduction. No such reports have reached the MON.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan, in Armenian
17 Nov 04

Armenian president, German chancellor discuss relations

Presenter High-level negotiations have started in Germany. The
Armenian president Robert Kocharyan met Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
in the German capital Berlin about two hours ago. Schroeder
characterized the two countries’ relations as friendly. He also spoke
about achievements in economic cooperation, noting that the
Armenian-German trade had increased by 40 per cent as against the
last year.

Correspondent Lilit Setrakyan from Berlin, on telephone The Armenian
president’s plane landed at Berlin Tegel airport this afternoon.
Robert Kocharyan’s working visit started with the meeting with the
German chancellor. Gerhard Schroeder met Robert Kocharyan at his
residence.

The ethnic Armenian children welcomed the Armenian president here.
Before the meeting, Schroeder spoke about the German-Armenian
relations at a briefing. The two countries have no problems, their
relations are friendly in the economic and political spheres, he
said.

Passage omitted: reiteration

Robert Kocharyan and Gerhard Schroeder also discussed the
opportunities for increasing the German investments in Armenia.
Schroeder noted that the main condition for the investments was how
they would be protected and how favourable the business atmosphere in
Armenia would be.

Robert Kocharyan and Gerhard Schroeder discussed the EU’s New
Neighbourhood programme as well.

Passage omitted: Kocharyan attended concert by German Armenians

Video showed the meeting

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Mediamax news agency, Yerevan, in Russian
18 Nov 04

Armenian, German presidents discuss Karabakh settlement

Yerevan, 18 November: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan discussed
the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict with German
President Horst Koehler in Berlin today.

Robert Kocharyan also discussed the Karabakh problem with German
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder during their meeting on Wednesday 17
November, a special correspondent of Mediamax reports from Berlin.

Robert Kocharyan and Horst Koehler today examined prospects for
expanding relations between Armenia and the European Union (EU) in
the context of the EU’s New Neighbourhood Policy.

During the meeting with Gerhard Schroeder, Robert Kocharyan presented
Armenia’s position on the beginning of the negotiations on Turkey’s
accession to the EU, the special correspondent of Mediamax reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BBC News
Last Updated: Tuesday, 26 October, 2004, 13:33 GMT 14:33 UK

Q&A: Equatorial Guinea ‘coup plot’

Lawyers for Sir Mark Thatcher are arguing in a South African court against
an order for him to answer questions about claims he helped finance an
alleged coup plot in Equatorial Guinea.
Meanwhile, another 14 men are awaiting the resumption of their trial in the
Equatorial Guinean capital, Malabo, in connection with the suspected plot.

How was the suspected plot discovered?

In March, Zimbabwean police in Harare impounded a plane which flew in from
South Africa with 64 alleged mercenaries on board.

Simon Mann (second right) was jailed in Zimbabwe
The group said they were providing security for a mine in Democratic
Republic of Congo, but a couple of days later an Equatorial Guinean minister
said they had detained 15 more men who were the advance party for the group
captured in Zimbabwe.

Nick du Toit, the leader of the group of South Africans and Armenians in
Equatorial Guinea, said at his trial in Equatorial Guinea that he was
playing a limited role in a coup bid.

He told the court he was recruited by Simon Mann, the alleged leader of the
group held in Zimbabwe, and that he was helping with recruitment, acquiring
weapons and logistics for the attempt. He says he was told they were trying
to install an exiled opposition politician, Severo Moto, as head.

In September, Mann was sentenced to seven years in jail in Zimbabwe after
being convicted of illegally trying to buy weapons. Others arrested with him
were acquitted of any links to a suspected coup attempt after magistrates
said prosecutors had failed to prove their case.

Why organise a coup attempt?

Equatorial Guinea, a former Spanish colony, has been ruled by President
Obiang since he seized power from his uncle in a coup in 1979. His
government has been accused of widespread human rights abuses and of
ruthlessly suppressing political opposition.

Yet the discovery of oil several years ago has meant huge wealth and massive
investment flowing into this poor country of just 500,000 people.

Not much of this has trickled down to ordinary people. The United States
Senate is currently investigating the discovery of hundreds of millions of
dollars in US bank accounts belonging to the family of President Obiang.

And it is these massive oil revenues which could lend some credence to
President Obiang’s accusation that multinationals and foreign powers were
involved in a plot to overthrow him.

Both Mann’s trial in Zimbabwe and the Equatorial Guinea trial began amid
complaints of abuse and unfair treatment from relatives of those being held.

One suspect, a German, died in prison in Equatorial Guinea after what
Amnesty International claimed was torture.

So who was behind the apparent plot?

So far it remains unclear who was backing any plot, although the list of
suspects is growing.

Sir Mark Thatcher has denied any involvement
Mann, the old Etonian and founder of the mercenary firm Executive Outcomes,
has not been talking, although President Obiang has.

He has accused the Spanish government and the son of the former UK prime
minister, Sir Mark Thatcher, amongst others, of being behind the plot.

The South African authorities have arrested Sir Mark and charged him with
contravening two sections of South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance Act,
which bans residents from taking part in any foreign military activity.

Sir Mark is being held in South Africa on suspicion of providing financing
for a helicopter linked to the coup plot. He denies the charges.

What is known is that Sir Mark has admitted to being good friends with Mann.

Others President Obiang alleges are involved are a former British cabinet
minister, whom he refuses to name, an oil tycoon, Eli Calil, and the exiled
politician Severo Moto, who lives in Spain. Both named men have strongly
denied involvement.

The BBC’s Newsnight television programme saw the financial records of Mann’s
companies showing large payments to Nick du Toit and also some $2m coming in
– though the source of this funding they say is largely untraceable.

What is South Africa’s role?

Mercenary activities were banned in South Africa several years ago after
complaints about security organisations like Executive Outcomes, in which
Mann was involved.

The majority of those alleged to have been the mercenaries planning to carry
out the coup are based in South Africa, with many being former members of
the apartheid-era security forces.

South Africa will be determined to be seen to be acting tough against any
attempt to destabilise another country.

However, it also will want to protect its nationals, and has vowed to
intervene if any of the alleged mercenaries are sentenced to death.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress