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CREATIVE MIND WON'T ESCAPE FROM ERA - GOLDEN APRICOT DIRECTOR ON ARMENIAN CINEMA'S FUTURE
11:41 * 25.06.14
In an interview with Tert.am, Michael Stamboltsyan, Director of the
Golden Apricot International Film Festival, presented his outlook
on the modern trends of Armenian cinematography and the prospects of
its developments.
What are the trends of the Armenian cinematography's development
today, and in what way does the Golden Apricot International Festival
contribute to that?
We originally initiated this festival to contribute to the Armenian
cinematography's development. And if you remember, the festival was
dedicated to Armenian films and those shot by the Armenians. Today,
too, we attach a considerable significance to the Armenian cinema
and, to our delight, see an increasing number of Armenian movies,
especially ones produced in Armenia. Directors and producers have
fallen out of the habit of relying on state assistance; they now find
the ways themselves; they get sums or even produce movies without
any money at all, which is really commendable. Besides, we do feel
the festival's atmosphere; the cinema attracts the youth, which is
also commendable. We see the children who attend our exhibitions
and master classes try to shoot films by themselves. So I think the
festival really contributes to the Armenian cinema's development.
To what extent does the present-day Armenian film address social
problems?
I am afraid not quite enough. It is mostly the young without much
life experience who produce movies. A young person tries to first
of all understand himself and his own world; that is why the films
are devoted more to their own ideas, torments, emotions and social
problems. As for the directors who are more aged, I don't know why they
do not address [the topic], to be frank. But Harutyun Khachatryan's
latest film, Endless Flight, Endless Return, addresses one of the
most serious problems, emigration. And it is not a film; it is going
to be a series, a trilogy which he has intended to produce.
Questions, to an extent, are raised also by Vigen Chaldranyan and
Suren Babayan, but each one is unique. A social trend such as the
Italian neo-realism is hard to imagine in Armenia nowadays.
Are you familiar with Atom Egoyan's new movie that tells about
corruption in Armenia? And what do you think about producing a movie
devoted to that topic?
I haven't watched it yet, and I don't think the film can address
corruption. Corruption can be covered in a documentary or publicistic
material but a feature film about corruption is absurd. A feature
film has to do with the human being and human inter-relations; as
regards corruption, it may or may not exist. What surprises me is
that everybody focuses on a film about corruption, as though we are
not aware of what is going on around. It is not a topic for a film,
to my mind.
When looking from the distance of years, what ideological changes do
you see in the Armenian cinema?
I don't see any idea, no matter the distance. They are very different,
especially today when a new cinematography is just starting to develop;
it is very hard to speak about ideas, trends and directions, and to
clearly say things. Ideas were very different also in the Soviet era
when we had Henrik Malyan, a man who had ideas of his own and who
addressed [such values as] family, national image and lifestyle. Also
we had Frunze Dovlatyan who tried to raise certain social ideas,
and Bagrat Hovhannisyan who produced many films.
Even behind the Soviet "iron curtain", Armenian directors used to
express certain ideas. Now that we seem to be in an era of freedom
of speech, does the Armenian cinematography reflect that freedom?
In the Soviet years, ideas would be expressed not only between the
lines but also in a very outspoken way. So I don't think bstacles
matter at all; what matters here is the talent. I do not think the
Armenian nation has exhausted its talent. I am confident that sooner
or later we will have new [talented cinematographers like Sergey]
Parajanov, [Artavazd] Peleshyan and [Henrik] Malyan who will depict
the present-day people's grief by leaving the era's imprint on a tape.
When will that period come, Mr Stamboltsyan?
It is already coming. We already have interesting young people who
see what is happening around and film all that.
And to what extent do the contemporary Armenian movies reflect the
present-day reality?
In a way, they do, because even if the material falls short of
reflecting things, the general mood does it. A creative person can
never escape from the era; whether he wishes it or not, he will have
to reflect it. Even poor movies do reflect the era.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/06/25/Michael-stambultsyan/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
11:41 * 25.06.14
In an interview with Tert.am, Michael Stamboltsyan, Director of the
Golden Apricot International Film Festival, presented his outlook
on the modern trends of Armenian cinematography and the prospects of
its developments.
What are the trends of the Armenian cinematography's development
today, and in what way does the Golden Apricot International Festival
contribute to that?
We originally initiated this festival to contribute to the Armenian
cinematography's development. And if you remember, the festival was
dedicated to Armenian films and those shot by the Armenians. Today,
too, we attach a considerable significance to the Armenian cinema
and, to our delight, see an increasing number of Armenian movies,
especially ones produced in Armenia. Directors and producers have
fallen out of the habit of relying on state assistance; they now find
the ways themselves; they get sums or even produce movies without
any money at all, which is really commendable. Besides, we do feel
the festival's atmosphere; the cinema attracts the youth, which is
also commendable. We see the children who attend our exhibitions
and master classes try to shoot films by themselves. So I think the
festival really contributes to the Armenian cinema's development.
To what extent does the present-day Armenian film address social
problems?
I am afraid not quite enough. It is mostly the young without much
life experience who produce movies. A young person tries to first
of all understand himself and his own world; that is why the films
are devoted more to their own ideas, torments, emotions and social
problems. As for the directors who are more aged, I don't know why they
do not address [the topic], to be frank. But Harutyun Khachatryan's
latest film, Endless Flight, Endless Return, addresses one of the
most serious problems, emigration. And it is not a film; it is going
to be a series, a trilogy which he has intended to produce.
Questions, to an extent, are raised also by Vigen Chaldranyan and
Suren Babayan, but each one is unique. A social trend such as the
Italian neo-realism is hard to imagine in Armenia nowadays.
Are you familiar with Atom Egoyan's new movie that tells about
corruption in Armenia? And what do you think about producing a movie
devoted to that topic?
I haven't watched it yet, and I don't think the film can address
corruption. Corruption can be covered in a documentary or publicistic
material but a feature film about corruption is absurd. A feature
film has to do with the human being and human inter-relations; as
regards corruption, it may or may not exist. What surprises me is
that everybody focuses on a film about corruption, as though we are
not aware of what is going on around. It is not a topic for a film,
to my mind.
When looking from the distance of years, what ideological changes do
you see in the Armenian cinema?
I don't see any idea, no matter the distance. They are very different,
especially today when a new cinematography is just starting to develop;
it is very hard to speak about ideas, trends and directions, and to
clearly say things. Ideas were very different also in the Soviet era
when we had Henrik Malyan, a man who had ideas of his own and who
addressed [such values as] family, national image and lifestyle. Also
we had Frunze Dovlatyan who tried to raise certain social ideas,
and Bagrat Hovhannisyan who produced many films.
Even behind the Soviet "iron curtain", Armenian directors used to
express certain ideas. Now that we seem to be in an era of freedom
of speech, does the Armenian cinematography reflect that freedom?
In the Soviet years, ideas would be expressed not only between the
lines but also in a very outspoken way. So I don't think bstacles
matter at all; what matters here is the talent. I do not think the
Armenian nation has exhausted its talent. I am confident that sooner
or later we will have new [talented cinematographers like Sergey]
Parajanov, [Artavazd] Peleshyan and [Henrik] Malyan who will depict
the present-day people's grief by leaving the era's imprint on a tape.
When will that period come, Mr Stamboltsyan?
It is already coming. We already have interesting young people who
see what is happening around and film all that.
And to what extent do the contemporary Armenian movies reflect the
present-day reality?
In a way, they do, because even if the material falls short of
reflecting things, the general mood does it. A creative person can
never escape from the era; whether he wishes it or not, he will have
to reflect it. Even poor movies do reflect the era.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/06/25/Michael-stambultsyan/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress