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"ETERNAL BEHEST": NEW FEATURE FILM REVEALS LITTLE-KNOWN FEATS AT KARABAKH BATTLEGROUNDS
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
03.05.11
Courtesy of Samvel Tadevosyan
A rare Armenian feature film delving into the times of heroic battles
in Karabakh in the early 1990s is set to be premiered in Yerevan
later this week.
The authors of the 53-minute-long movie say it is an attempt to
present the living memories about the Karabakh war and a message to
the present and future generations of Armenians.
"Eternal Behest" is the third film directed by Samvel Tadevosyan as
part of the "Justice Fighters" series. It is based on true stories and
portrays the lives and feats of the brave men who fought in Karabakh
and today are alive.
"With this series of films an attempt is being made to break the
tradition that we do not address the legendary personalities of the
battles of Artsakh who are alive today and are in the same frame of
mind," says Tadevosyan.
The main events in the film take place at around present times, but
the memories of the characters take them to the years of the Karabakh
war in 1992-1994.
At the core of the film is Pavlik Manukyan, more known to his friends
as Aparantsi Pavlik (or Pavlik from Aparan). Pavlik, who is in his
fifties today and plays himself in the film, takes his son to the
fortress-town of Shushi on the 18th anniversary of its liberation. It
is then that he tells his son Aram about his war path, his arrests
and torture in the prison of Shushi, a strategically important town
some 10 kilometers south of Karabakh capital Stepanakert that was
held by Azeris until May 1992 and was used as a place of arms and a
location to shell Armenian civilians in low-lying areas.
"Unfortunately, our homeland has seen a lasting presence of
enemies around it, and wars have constantly been imposed on us. The
whole experience should be conveyed to all of us and to the future
generations that will one day become the guarantors of the security of
the borders, the homeland, our science and culture," says Tadevosyan.
The art director of the film, Artur Lazarian, adds although the
film centers on the fate of Pavel Manukyan, it is not only about him,
but also about all heroes like him.
"There are quite a few heroes like Pavlik Manukyan. One simply has
to remember them, notice them," says Lazarian.
No actors were involved in the production of "Eternal Behest", all
five characters are played by themselves. They are Pavlik Manukyan
with his son Aram, former Sisian battalion commander Ashot Minasyan,
Sisian airfield commander Hrach Karapetyan and singer Sahak Sahakyan,
who represent themselves.
The main goal of the film, according to its authors, is to become a
cultural counterbalance to various serials that they say have taken
over television today, as well as to present the living memories of
the national victories and the victors themselves.
The production of the film began in the middle of 2009 and lasted for
about 18 months. Its director says they did not have a specific funding
for it and were mainly helped by "good-hearted people around them".
Tadevosyan says "Eternal Behest" is a national film and he does not
want it to be "worn out" at too many festivals, so it will probably
participate only in one such film festival, Pomegranate in Canada.
The premiere of the "Eternal Behest" film is due at Yerevan's Moscow
Movie-House on May 4. Shows in Armenian communities abroad are also
planned.
From: A. Papazian
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
03.05.11
Courtesy of Samvel Tadevosyan
A rare Armenian feature film delving into the times of heroic battles
in Karabakh in the early 1990s is set to be premiered in Yerevan
later this week.
The authors of the 53-minute-long movie say it is an attempt to
present the living memories about the Karabakh war and a message to
the present and future generations of Armenians.
"Eternal Behest" is the third film directed by Samvel Tadevosyan as
part of the "Justice Fighters" series. It is based on true stories and
portrays the lives and feats of the brave men who fought in Karabakh
and today are alive.
"With this series of films an attempt is being made to break the
tradition that we do not address the legendary personalities of the
battles of Artsakh who are alive today and are in the same frame of
mind," says Tadevosyan.
The main events in the film take place at around present times, but
the memories of the characters take them to the years of the Karabakh
war in 1992-1994.
At the core of the film is Pavlik Manukyan, more known to his friends
as Aparantsi Pavlik (or Pavlik from Aparan). Pavlik, who is in his
fifties today and plays himself in the film, takes his son to the
fortress-town of Shushi on the 18th anniversary of its liberation. It
is then that he tells his son Aram about his war path, his arrests
and torture in the prison of Shushi, a strategically important town
some 10 kilometers south of Karabakh capital Stepanakert that was
held by Azeris until May 1992 and was used as a place of arms and a
location to shell Armenian civilians in low-lying areas.
"Unfortunately, our homeland has seen a lasting presence of
enemies around it, and wars have constantly been imposed on us. The
whole experience should be conveyed to all of us and to the future
generations that will one day become the guarantors of the security of
the borders, the homeland, our science and culture," says Tadevosyan.
The art director of the film, Artur Lazarian, adds although the
film centers on the fate of Pavel Manukyan, it is not only about him,
but also about all heroes like him.
"There are quite a few heroes like Pavlik Manukyan. One simply has
to remember them, notice them," says Lazarian.
No actors were involved in the production of "Eternal Behest", all
five characters are played by themselves. They are Pavlik Manukyan
with his son Aram, former Sisian battalion commander Ashot Minasyan,
Sisian airfield commander Hrach Karapetyan and singer Sahak Sahakyan,
who represent themselves.
The main goal of the film, according to its authors, is to become a
cultural counterbalance to various serials that they say have taken
over television today, as well as to present the living memories of
the national victories and the victors themselves.
The production of the film began in the middle of 2009 and lasted for
about 18 months. Its director says they did not have a specific funding
for it and were mainly helped by "good-hearted people around them".
Tadevosyan says "Eternal Behest" is a national film and he does not
want it to be "worn out" at too many festivals, so it will probably
participate only in one such film festival, Pomegranate in Canada.
The premiere of the "Eternal Behest" film is due at Yerevan's Moscow
Movie-House on May 4. Shows in Armenian communities abroad are also
planned.
From: A. Papazian