Events

Tribute to Harutyun Khachatryan in Moscow

A special tribute was paid to Harutyun Khachatryan, filmmaker, General Director of Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival, in the 31st Moscow International Film Festival held in June 2009 by demonstration of his following films: “White Town” (“Spitak qaghaq”), “Return to the Promised Land” (“Veradardz avetyats yerkir”), “Return of the Poet” (“Poeti veradardze”), “Border” (“Sahman”), “Documentarist” (“Vaveragrogh”), “Kond” and “Last Station” (“Verjin kayaran”).

Opening of the retrospective was held on June 22 in “Oktyabr” cinema with the participation of eminent filmmakers, artists and journalists, as well as Armen Smbatyan, the Ambassador of the RA to Russia. Kirill Razlogov, Program Director of the Festival, made the opening speech. The same day Harutyun Khachatryan’s “Border” (“Sahman”), which has already received 2 prizes in 2009, was presented to the Russian and International audience.

The Embassy of Armenia to Russia organized a special reception after the opening, where Andrei Plakhov, famous Russian film critic, President of the International Federation of Film Critics, FIPRESCI, made a welcoming speech. In Moscow IFF catalogue Andrei Plakhov wrote: “Harutyun Khachatryan’s work is an example of pure cinematic form and this form helps the Armenian director to express the acute and cruel contradictions of the contemporary world”.

Up to now such retrospective screenings of films of only two Armenian directors Sergej Parajanov and Atravazd Peleshyan, have been organized during any festival. Moscow Film Festival has put the screenings of Harutyun Khachartyan’s films among the retrospectives of such eminent world directors as Jerzy Skolimowski and Marco Ferreri.

CONGRATULATIONS

The American premiere of “Border” (“Sahman”) Harutyun Khachatryan’s film was held during the 42nd WoldFest – Houston International Film Festival (April 17 - 26, 2009). The film received Platinum REMI award for which it was nominated accordingly. After Houston, Texas, it was Syracuse International Film Festival, New York, where Harutyun Khachatryan was awarded with “The Best Feature Documentary” Prize for his film “Border”.