“To be or not to be?” echoes through the halls of a derelict Soviet-era retirement home, where a group of its elderly residents rehearse Shakespeare’s Sins—an original play in which the renowned playwright's own characters confront him over their tragic fates. From casting to premiere night, Outliving Shakespeare follows the retired theater troupe bonding in and between rehearsals, transforming from a lighthearted warm look at the innocent dignity of aging, into a deeper thought-provoking exploration of the loneliness that accompanies it. As the production unfolds, the theatre mirrors reality.

Cast & Crew
Producers: Vardan Hovhannisyan, Inna Sahakyan, Mariam Davtyan, Joram Willink, Esther van Driesum, Rosalien Hollestelle
Directors: Inna Sahakyan, Ruben Ghazaryan
Script: Inna Sahakyan, Lilit Movsisyan
Director of Photography: Bagrat Saroyan
Sound: Lennert Hunfeld
Editing: Artur Sahakyan
Production: Bars Media, Bind

Awards
Best Documentary Film, Armenian National Film Academy’s Anahit Award, 2026; Best Documentary Film, FIPRESCI Award, goEast Festival of Central and Eastern European Film, Germany, 2026

Inna Sahakyan:
Inna Sahakyan is a documentary filmmaker and producer whose work uncovers forgotten stories through deeply human, character-driven narratives. Her films include the award-winning The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia and Mel. Her animated documentary Aurora’s Sunrise (2022), about the Armenian genocide survivor and early Hollywood star Aurora Mardiganian, became a festival favorite, screening at over 80 international festivals and winning major awards including the APSA for Best Animated Film, Movies that Matter Special Mention and Audience Award, Audience Favorites at IDFA, and the Grand Prix at FIFDH Geneva.

Filmography
The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia (doc., Co-dir., 2010), Donkeymentary (doc., Co-dir., 2012), One, Two, Three (doc., Co-dir., 2013), Mel (doc., 2021), Aurora’s Sunrise (anim., doc., 2022).

Ruben Ghazaryan
Ruben Ghazaryan is an Armenian filmmaker experienced in international documentary co-productions. A graduate of the Yerevan State Institute of Theater and Cinema and VGIK Moscow, he has directed, filmed, and edited numerous projects across Armenia and abroad. At Bars Media Studio, he created acclaimed TV documentary series such as Mysteries of Armenia, My Army, and Road. He has filmed in countries including Rwanda, Brazil, and Afghanistan, contributing to projects for the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. Most recently, Ruben Ghazaryan was editor, art director, and director of live-action scenes for the award-winning Aurora’s Sunrise.

Filmography
My Army (doc. series, 2015), The Road ((doc. series, 2017), Aurora Prize Humanitarian Films (doc. series, 2016-2024), Aurora’s Sunrise (anim., doc., live-action scenes dir., 2022).