The Golden Apricot international film festival opened for the 19th time in Yerevan, and more than 130 guests and filmmakers are participating. First, the guests walked over the red carpet, then after the official ceremony in the Aram Khachatryan Concert Hall, the world premiere of Michael A. Gurjyan’s film “American” took place.
According to the artistic director of the festival, Karen Avetisyan, with this Golden Apricot, which is unprecedented both with the best films and the presence of famous filmmakers, the beginning of overcoming the difficult years during which the festival was in danger is given. Unlike the previous Golden Apricots, this time Parajanov’s thalers are intended for three movie giants. One of them is intended for Costa Gavras, winner of the main prize of the Cannes and Berlin festivals, Oscar-winning director and screenwriter, and a living classic of world cinema who had not been to Armenia yet.
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The second Parajanov thaler was handed over to Albert Sera. Harutyun Khachatryan, the founding president of Golden Apricot, presented the third Parajanov thaler to the Oscar-winning film director Terry George. “We did not get sick, we did not die, we are moving forward. We are developing, and thank God that there are people standing behind our festival. My teacher Mikael Stamboltsyan once said that if you want to have the best festival, there are three important factors for its success: the best films, the best jury, and the best audience. Today, all three of them are present,” said Harutyun Khachatryan. “You mentioned three important factors of the best festival, but you forgot to mention the fourth: good brandy,” said Terry George.
This year the Golden Apricot films will be shown both in the Moscow cinema and in the halls of the Great and Malian theaters of the Union of Filmmakers of Armenia. The founders of Golden Apricot, Harutyun Khachatryan, Mikayel Stamboltsyan, and Susanna Harutyunyan, announced the start of the festival from the stage.
Gohar HAKOBYAN
