A glorious past
The 7th Armenian art was born in 1923, following the advent of Soviet power and the creation of the Armenian Goskino (Armenkino, then Armenfilm and finally Haïfilm). Initially an instrument of propaganda, Armenian cinema very quickly existed through directors such as Amo Bek Nazarov and Iram Perestiani, who drew their inspiration from the national heritage. After a stifling period of socialist realism, Armenia's 7th art experienced a period of renaissance in the early 1960s. Henrik Malian directed Nous sommes nos montagnes (1969) and Les saisons d'Artavazd Pélechian (1972), two films with a pastoral theme; Ardavazd Péléchian directed Nous (1969), Les saisons (1972) and later, Notre siècle (1982) while Sergueï Paradjanov directed Les Chevaux de feu (1964) or Sayat Nova (1968), and acquired the title of artistic influence for a generation of new directors, both in Georgia, Ukraine and Armenia. In addition, the production of animated films (with animators such as Robert Sahakyants) experienced a revival of creativity. From its first productions in 1937, this film genre gained a certain reputation, thanks in particular to the film The Dog and the Cat by Lev Atamanov made in 1955. However, it was not until 1967 that the Armenian animated film began to be produced regularly, particularly for its soundtracks.
A privileged genre: documentary
Initially subverted by a lyrical poetic vein, the Armenian documentary experiences a committed and critical renaissance (with artists such as Haroutioun Khatchatourian or Rouben Kevorkiants) following the creation of the Karabagh movement. But times are hard for the country's economy, Armenian cinema is waiting for external funding, while local filmmakers are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to draw inspiration from the upheaval the country experienced during the 1988 earthquake. The launch of a film festival in Armenia, the Golden Apricot, nevertheless illustrates the efforts of filmmakers to restore Armenian cinema to its rightful place in world production. From documentary to fiction, a new generation of Armenian directors is creating a place for itself in the world of cinema: Anna Melikian and her works Mermaid (2008, Golden Bear and Golden Apricot) and Of Love (2015, Sochi Festivity Grand Prix in Russia); Anna Arevshatyan and Bari Luys (awarded numerous prizes, notably in Toronto and at the Yerevan Festival) or Mher Mktrchian and his work Guiank or Griv (2017) about the Karabagh War. Recently, we note the Armenian-Russian work Spitak (2018) by Alexander Kott (best director at the Moscow Festival) as well as the documentaries I am not Alone (2019) by Garin Hovannisian and Nothing to Be Afraid of (2019) by Silva Khnkanosian.
