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6/4/08
PRESS RELEASE:
Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance
Contact: Jane Minasian: 781 643 5638
[email protected]
ADAA'S FIRST ANNUAL ARMENIAN FILM FESTIVAL AT THE MFA WOWS BOSTON AUDIENCES
BOSTON, MA: The First Annual Boston Armenian Film Festival was held
at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston on May 30th, May 31st, and June
1st. Film enthusiasts from the greater Boston area filled Remis
Auditorium each night to view a program of critically acclaimed, award
winning films by Armenian filmmakers.
The Armenian Film Festival was the result of a collaboration between
the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance
(ADAA). The Armenia Fund USA, Inc., sponsored a reception for the
audience and filmmakers on the first night of the festival.
Said Bianca Bagatourian, President of ADAA, "The mission of ADAA is to
project the Armenian voice on stage and screen around the world, and
we are grateful to the MFA for giving us this opportunity to further
our mission."
Bo Smith, Director of the MFA's film department, who greeted a sell-
out crowd on opening night, expressed his support of the Armenian
Film Festival and welcomed the return of the festival next year. ADAA
Board Member Paul Boghosian, who MC'd the reception on Saturday night
said, `I am enormously pleased that the young filmmakers whose films
were presented here will receive the benefit of having their films
showcased at the MFA.'
"The Lark Farm", the deeply moving 2007 drama about the Armenian
genocide adapted from the novel of the same name by Antonio Arslan,
and directed by the famous Italian filmmakers, the Tavianni Brothers,
opened the festival to a full house on Friday night.
Saturday night audiences viewed the hilarious dark comedy by Gor
Kirakosian, "Big Story in a Small City," (in Armenian with English
subtitles) which was followed by a panel discussion featuring
Armenian American filmmakers Carla Garapedian, Michael Goorjian, Gor
Kirakosian and Hrag Yedalian, and moderated by ADAA founder and
president Bianca Bagatourian. The filmmakers were flown in from
California to attend the festival thanks to the generosity of the
local chapter of the Knights of Vartan, whose commander commented,
`This weekend was one of the best and most successful weekends in the
history of the Armenian community in Massachusetts. ADAA united
Armenians from all walks of life.'
The Sunday screenings of the documentaries "The People's Advocate: The
Life and Times of Charles R. Garry" (a feature-length documentary
about Charles Garry - one of the most influential criminal defense
attorneys of the twentieth century) by Hrag Yedalian and "The War
Prayer" (adapted from Mark Twain's pacifist short story) by Michael
Goorjian were followed by an opportunity for the audience to converse
with the filmmakers. Historian and social activist Howard Zinn, who
appeared in Hrag Yedalian's documentary `The People's Advocate', said
that the film was powerful and a testament to Yedalian's future as a
filmmaker.
"Calendar" (about a photographer who nurses a broken heart) and "A
Portrait of Arshile" (a film about the naming of the filmmaker's son)
by Canadian Armenian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, concluded the festival.
Award-winning actress Karen Kondazian, (ADAA Board of Directors) who
flew in from Los Angeles, was effusive in her praise for the event.
"The Festival was extraordinary. It is so exciting for all of us to be
supporting our first truly professional east coast Armenian Film
Festival. I was moved by the quality and choices of the films and am
looking forward to returning for our Second Armenian Film Festival
next year!" The festival was given encouragement and attended by
members of all of the Armenian organizations of greater Boston.
Bethel Bilezikian Charkoudian, ADAA Board Member, noted that "For
years, the dream of the Armenian community of greater Boston has been
to have a yearly Armenian Film Festival at the Museum of Fine Arts
Boston. Thanks to Bo Smith, Director of the Film Department at the
Museum of Fine Arts Boston, through the unstinting efforts of Bianca
Bagatourian of the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance and together with
the collaboration of the Armenian community, our dream has become a
reality."
(Photographs by Karoun Charkoudian)
Bo Smiith, Head of Film, MFA, BOSTON
MFA Audience at the film festival, 2008, May 30th
> Filmmakers Hrag Yedalian, Michael Goorjian, Carla Garapedian, Gor
> Kirakosian and ADAA President Bianca Bagatourian
> at MFA/ADAA Panel Discussion, 2008
> Raffi Festekjian, Armenia Fund USA, Chairman, Bianca Bagatourian,
> President, Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance
PRESS RELEASE:
Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance
Contact: Jane Minasian: 781 643 5638
[email protected]
ADAA'S FIRST ANNUAL ARMENIAN FILM FESTIVAL AT THE MFA WOWS BOSTON AUDIENCES
BOSTON, MA: The First Annual Boston Armenian Film Festival was held
at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston on May 30th, May 31st, and June
1st. Film enthusiasts from the greater Boston area filled Remis
Auditorium each night to view a program of critically acclaimed, award
winning films by Armenian filmmakers.
The Armenian Film Festival was the result of a collaboration between
the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance
(ADAA). The Armenia Fund USA, Inc., sponsored a reception for the
audience and filmmakers on the first night of the festival.
Said Bianca Bagatourian, President of ADAA, "The mission of ADAA is to
project the Armenian voice on stage and screen around the world, and
we are grateful to the MFA for giving us this opportunity to further
our mission."
Bo Smith, Director of the MFA's film department, who greeted a sell-
out crowd on opening night, expressed his support of the Armenian
Film Festival and welcomed the return of the festival next year. ADAA
Board Member Paul Boghosian, who MC'd the reception on Saturday night
said, `I am enormously pleased that the young filmmakers whose films
were presented here will receive the benefit of having their films
showcased at the MFA.'
"The Lark Farm", the deeply moving 2007 drama about the Armenian
genocide adapted from the novel of the same name by Antonio Arslan,
and directed by the famous Italian filmmakers, the Tavianni Brothers,
opened the festival to a full house on Friday night.
Saturday night audiences viewed the hilarious dark comedy by Gor
Kirakosian, "Big Story in a Small City," (in Armenian with English
subtitles) which was followed by a panel discussion featuring
Armenian American filmmakers Carla Garapedian, Michael Goorjian, Gor
Kirakosian and Hrag Yedalian, and moderated by ADAA founder and
president Bianca Bagatourian. The filmmakers were flown in from
California to attend the festival thanks to the generosity of the
local chapter of the Knights of Vartan, whose commander commented,
`This weekend was one of the best and most successful weekends in the
history of the Armenian community in Massachusetts. ADAA united
Armenians from all walks of life.'
The Sunday screenings of the documentaries "The People's Advocate: The
Life and Times of Charles R. Garry" (a feature-length documentary
about Charles Garry - one of the most influential criminal defense
attorneys of the twentieth century) by Hrag Yedalian and "The War
Prayer" (adapted from Mark Twain's pacifist short story) by Michael
Goorjian were followed by an opportunity for the audience to converse
with the filmmakers. Historian and social activist Howard Zinn, who
appeared in Hrag Yedalian's documentary `The People's Advocate', said
that the film was powerful and a testament to Yedalian's future as a
filmmaker.
"Calendar" (about a photographer who nurses a broken heart) and "A
Portrait of Arshile" (a film about the naming of the filmmaker's son)
by Canadian Armenian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, concluded the festival.
Award-winning actress Karen Kondazian, (ADAA Board of Directors) who
flew in from Los Angeles, was effusive in her praise for the event.
"The Festival was extraordinary. It is so exciting for all of us to be
supporting our first truly professional east coast Armenian Film
Festival. I was moved by the quality and choices of the films and am
looking forward to returning for our Second Armenian Film Festival
next year!" The festival was given encouragement and attended by
members of all of the Armenian organizations of greater Boston.
Bethel Bilezikian Charkoudian, ADAA Board Member, noted that "For
years, the dream of the Armenian community of greater Boston has been
to have a yearly Armenian Film Festival at the Museum of Fine Arts
Boston. Thanks to Bo Smith, Director of the Film Department at the
Museum of Fine Arts Boston, through the unstinting efforts of Bianca
Bagatourian of the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance and together with
the collaboration of the Armenian community, our dream has become a
reality."
(Photographs by Karoun Charkoudian)
Bo Smiith, Head of Film, MFA, BOSTON
MFA Audience at the film festival, 2008, May 30th
> Filmmakers Hrag Yedalian, Michael Goorjian, Carla Garapedian, Gor
> Kirakosian and ADAA President Bianca Bagatourian
> at MFA/ADAA Panel Discussion, 2008
> Raffi Festekjian, Armenia Fund USA, Chairman, Bianca Bagatourian,
> President, Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance