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ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
Tel: (617) 926-TREE
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.armeniatree.org
PRESS RELEASE
December 23, 2013
Paper or Plastic? LA Premiere of ATP's Short Film Leaves No Doubt
LOS ANGELES--The Los Angeles premiere of the Armenia Tree Project (ATP) film
"Something New" attracted young and old alike for the viewing of the 14
minute production about two teens who struggle to clean up the dumping of
plastic bags throughout Armenia.
Set in Los Angeles and the beautiful Armenian village of Margahovit, the
film features cousins Nuneh and Armen who eventually devise a plan, via
their internet chats, to attack the problem of littering and plastic bags.
The eighth grade student who plays Armen, Peter Deirbadrossian, addressed
the gathering at the December 15 premiere at the Pasadena Armory Center for
the Arts. Peter shared the words of the late actor Sos Sarkisian:
"I dream that our country, our capitol, and our villages become clean.
Because garbage is not only disgusting, it is contagious. Clean countries
mean great civilization. I dream that our rivers are clean and that our
trees are not cut down or maimed. After all, our future generations will
still need oxygen to breathe."
In working with director Kennedy Wheatley and Building Bridges program
manager Sarah Hayes during the filming of "Something New," Peter began to
wonder what would happen to Armenia if people do not do something new about
its environmental problems: What would happen to that one plastic bag that
takes 1,000 years to disintegrate?
Parallel sentiments were conveyed by Tatev Ghumashyan, who portrays Armen's
cousin Nuneh in the film. During the screening of "Something New" in the
town of Margahovit in Lori region of Armenia last month, both Tatev and
co-star Nara Margaryan stressed that the film helped them learn of the
effects of plastic bags on Armenia's environment and natural beauty.
"We now think twice about using plastic bags because there is no way to
dispose of them without harming our environment," said Nara. "Our village is
one of the most beautiful places in Armenia, and it is a privilege to live
here and safeguard it," said Tatev.
Armenia generates 5,000 tons of plastic waste annually in the form of water
bottles and plastic bags that find their way to unlined and untreated
garbage dumps or ravines. Seventy different hazardous substances that cause
everything from cancer to asthma are emitted into the air when
trash--particularly plastics--are burned. When buried, the toxins enter the
water supply, affecting livestock and eventually humans.
"It made me realize how much the existence of ATP is essential. The efforts
and tremendous work to revitalize the country cannot become reality if there
is no steering wheel to guide and organize and make people aware. You can't
fight a poison without its antidote," Peter stressed.
"Something New" features music by System of A Down and Greg Hosharian of
Armenian Space Station, as well as the song written by Tony Iommi and
performed by The Dorians at Eurovision this year. The film was made as a
part of ATP's Building Bridges program that educates diasporan youth about
Armenia's natural heritage as well as environmental challenges in Armenia.
The program operates in a variety of Armenian schools and is funded by a
grant from the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation. "Something New" can
be viewed online via: http://www.armeniatree.org/somethingnew
ATP's mission is to develop Armenia through community-based tree planting
and environmental education. ATP seeks to reverse the loss of Armenia's
forest cover and to advocate for the sustainable use of our natural
resources. ATP's three major programs are tree planting, environmental
education, and sustainable development initiatives. For more information,
please visit the website www.armeniatree.org.
####
PHOTO CAPTION:
Building Bridges program manager Sarah Hayes at the Los Angeles premiere
with Peter Deirbadrossian, the U.S. actor in the ATP film "Something New"
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
Tel: (617) 926-TREE
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.armeniatree.org
PRESS RELEASE
December 23, 2013
Paper or Plastic? LA Premiere of ATP's Short Film Leaves No Doubt
LOS ANGELES--The Los Angeles premiere of the Armenia Tree Project (ATP) film
"Something New" attracted young and old alike for the viewing of the 14
minute production about two teens who struggle to clean up the dumping of
plastic bags throughout Armenia.
Set in Los Angeles and the beautiful Armenian village of Margahovit, the
film features cousins Nuneh and Armen who eventually devise a plan, via
their internet chats, to attack the problem of littering and plastic bags.
The eighth grade student who plays Armen, Peter Deirbadrossian, addressed
the gathering at the December 15 premiere at the Pasadena Armory Center for
the Arts. Peter shared the words of the late actor Sos Sarkisian:
"I dream that our country, our capitol, and our villages become clean.
Because garbage is not only disgusting, it is contagious. Clean countries
mean great civilization. I dream that our rivers are clean and that our
trees are not cut down or maimed. After all, our future generations will
still need oxygen to breathe."
In working with director Kennedy Wheatley and Building Bridges program
manager Sarah Hayes during the filming of "Something New," Peter began to
wonder what would happen to Armenia if people do not do something new about
its environmental problems: What would happen to that one plastic bag that
takes 1,000 years to disintegrate?
Parallel sentiments were conveyed by Tatev Ghumashyan, who portrays Armen's
cousin Nuneh in the film. During the screening of "Something New" in the
town of Margahovit in Lori region of Armenia last month, both Tatev and
co-star Nara Margaryan stressed that the film helped them learn of the
effects of plastic bags on Armenia's environment and natural beauty.
"We now think twice about using plastic bags because there is no way to
dispose of them without harming our environment," said Nara. "Our village is
one of the most beautiful places in Armenia, and it is a privilege to live
here and safeguard it," said Tatev.
Armenia generates 5,000 tons of plastic waste annually in the form of water
bottles and plastic bags that find their way to unlined and untreated
garbage dumps or ravines. Seventy different hazardous substances that cause
everything from cancer to asthma are emitted into the air when
trash--particularly plastics--are burned. When buried, the toxins enter the
water supply, affecting livestock and eventually humans.
"It made me realize how much the existence of ATP is essential. The efforts
and tremendous work to revitalize the country cannot become reality if there
is no steering wheel to guide and organize and make people aware. You can't
fight a poison without its antidote," Peter stressed.
"Something New" features music by System of A Down and Greg Hosharian of
Armenian Space Station, as well as the song written by Tony Iommi and
performed by The Dorians at Eurovision this year. The film was made as a
part of ATP's Building Bridges program that educates diasporan youth about
Armenia's natural heritage as well as environmental challenges in Armenia.
The program operates in a variety of Armenian schools and is funded by a
grant from the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation. "Something New" can
be viewed online via: http://www.armeniatree.org/somethingnew
ATP's mission is to develop Armenia through community-based tree planting
and environmental education. ATP seeks to reverse the loss of Armenia's
forest cover and to advocate for the sustainable use of our natural
resources. ATP's three major programs are tree planting, environmental
education, and sustainable development initiatives. For more information,
please visit the website www.armeniatree.org.
####
PHOTO CAPTION:
Building Bridges program manager Sarah Hayes at the Los Angeles premiere
with Peter Deirbadrossian, the U.S. actor in the ATP film "Something New"