An announcement about starting a HUNGER STRIKE
The National Cinema Center of Armenia took responsibilities for Parallels Film Production’s international film project ‘‘My Grandma’s Locks’’ and their terms are ending in 2018. The Cinema Center completed its responsibilities by supporting the development of the project in 2016. In April 2017, a part of that money from the film’s budget was temporarily given to the Armenian film commissioner for Ministry’s urgent costs by the order of the ex-Minister of Culture A. Amiryan. The money had not been returned since which caused the failure of film’s production plan and the production company has accumulated debts. In 2018, the Cinema Center has adopted a Regulation and cancelled its previous responsibilities of financially supporting the film by breaking the law.
he film production has been stopped and the investments from our international co-producers have been frozen. Parallels Film Production received huge moral, financial and production damages. The company has filed a lawsuit against The National Cinema Center of Armenia. In case of no guarantees for the fulfilment of responsibilities that are to be taken by the National Cinema Center by the end of 2018, the international partners and investors of the film will also file a lawsuit against the Republic of Armenia demanding a compensation for the invested money and their losses.
The actions that are to be taken in order to resolve this situation and the occurred illegalities towards the company caused by the two Ministers and The National Cinema Center are as follows:
A․) To prolong the terms of the co-production agreement for the film ‘‘My Grandma’s Locks’’ and to accomplish the responsibilities towards the film taken by the National Cinema Center of Armenia (13.11.2015, agreement N 329),
B․) to ensure the returning of the money temporarily taken from the film ‘‘My Grandma’s Locks’’ in 2017 by the order of the ex-Minister,
C․) to present the legal corroborations for the rejection of Parallels Film Production’s applications by the film financing competitional commission created by the order of the Minister of Culture. In case of absence, incompleteness or the presence of the documents proving the opposite –to cancel that decision and compensate our losses. To show my protest towards the facts of the state institutions of the Republic of Armenia that prevent my rights to produce films as a filmmaker, I – Hovhannes Galstyan, am announcing a hunger strike starting on December 3rd 3:00 PM and am DAMANDING:
1. The guarantees for the accomplishment of the National Cinema Center’s responsibilities towards the Armenian – Bulgarian – German film project ‘‘My Grandma’s Locks’’.
2. The return of the money taken from the film project ‘‘My Grandma’s Locks’’ in 2017,
3. The cancelation of the illegal decision towards the applications of ‘‘Parallels Film Production’’.
This hunger strike is the 1st phase of the consistent battle to publicize the vicious things that have been happening in the State regulation of the Culture for decades and to reform the system of the Film Management in Armenia.
Hovhannes GALSTYAN
