Cinema of Armenia
Encyclopedia
The cinema of Armenia was born on April 16, 1923, when the Armenian State Committee on Cinema was established by the government decree.
In March 1924, the first Armenian film studio: Armenfilm
( "Haykino," "Armenkino") was established in Yerevan
, starting with Soviet Armenia (1924) the first Armenian documentary film
.
Namus was the first Armenian silent
black-and-white
film (1926), directed by Hamo Beknazarian
and based on a play of Alexander Shirvanzade
describing the ill fate of two lovers, who were engaged by their families to each other since childhood, but because of violations of namus
(a tradition of honor), the girl was married by her father to another person.
The first sound film
, Pepo
was created in 1935, director Hamo Beknazarian
.
Among more recent directors we should mention:
In March 1924, the first Armenian film studio: Armenfilm
Armenfilm
Armenfilm is an Armenian film studio in Yerevan. The film studio was founded on 16 April 1923 as the State Cinema Organisation with Daniel Dznuni as the first director....
( "Haykino," "Armenkino") was established in Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, starting with Soviet Armenia (1924) the first Armenian documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
.
Namus was the first Armenian silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
film (1926), directed by Hamo Beknazarian
Hamo Beknazarian
Hamo Beknazarian , also known as Hamo Bek Nazarov or Amo Bek-Nazarian, was an Armenian and Soviet film director.-Biography:...
and based on a play of Alexander Shirvanzade
Alexander Shirvanzade
Alexander Shirvanzade was an Armenian playwright and novelist...
describing the ill fate of two lovers, who were engaged by their families to each other since childhood, but because of violations of namus
Namus
Namus is the Arabic word of a concept of an ethical category, a virtue, in Middle Eastern patriarchal character...
(a tradition of honor), the girl was married by her father to another person.
The first sound film
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
, Pepo
Pepo (film)
Pepo is an Armenian film directed by Hamo Beknazarian which is based on Gabriel Sundukyan's 1876 play of the same name. Pepo was the first Armenian sound film ever created...
was created in 1935, director Hamo Beknazarian
Hamo Beknazarian
Hamo Beknazarian , also known as Hamo Bek Nazarov or Amo Bek-Nazarian, was an Armenian and Soviet film director.-Biography:...
.
Among more recent directors we should mention:
- Sergei Parajanov (best known for The Color of PomegranatesThe Color of PomegranatesThe Color of Pomegranates is a 1968 Armenian film directed by Sergei Parajanov.-Overview:The Color of Pomegranates is a biography of the Armenian ashug Sayat-Nova that attempts to reveal the poet's life visually and poetically rather than literally...
) - Henrik MalyanHenrik MalyanHenrik Sureni Malyan was a Soviet Armenian film director and writer.He was born in Telavi, Georgia. Malyan's uncle was famous actor David Malyan. At early ages among with Tigran Petrosian he studied chess, then from 1942 to 1945 he worked as a draftsman and designer at a factory in Tbilisi...
Nahapet - Artavazd Peleshian (best known for The Seasons of the Year)
- Hamo BeknazarianHamo BeknazarianHamo Beknazarian , also known as Hamo Bek Nazarov or Amo Bek-Nazarian, was an Armenian and Soviet film director.-Biography:...
- Edmond KeosayanEdmond KeosayanEdmond Gareginovich Keosayan was an Armenian Soviet film director and musician.1952-54 - worked in Yerevan watch factory. 1954-56 - studied in Plekhanov Moscow Institute of Economy. 1956-58 - studied in Yerevan Fine Arts and Theatre Institute, worked as a compere. 1964 - graduated from the...
- Frunze DovlatyanFrunze DovlatyanFrunze Vaghinaki Dovlatyan was an Armenian film director and actor. People's Artist of USSR .-Biography:He was a theater actor before becoming a director...
- Mikhail VartanovMikhail VartanovMikhail Vartanov . Film director, cinematographer, documentarian, essayist, photographer and artist who developed a style of documentary filmmaking termed the “direction of undirected action.”...
(best known for Parajanov: The Last Spring) - Levon MkrtchyanLevon MkrtchyanMovie director Levon Mkrtchyan , is an Armenian director known for his documentaries, "Davit Anhaght," "Charentz: Known and Unknown Sides", "Jean Garzu", "Mesrop Mashtots", "My Komitas", "And There Was Light", "The Manuscript of Independence" which was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of...
(Hovhannes Shiraz) - Atom EgoyanAtom EgoyanAtom Egoyan, OC is a critically acclaimed Armenian-Canadian stage director and film director. Egoyan made his career breakthrough with Exotica...
Ararat - J. Michael HagopianJ. Michael HagopianJakob Michael Hagopian , was an Armenian-American Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Armenian Genocide survivor.-Biography:Hagopian was born to an Armenian family on 20 October 1913, in Kharpert, Ottoman Empire...
, for his acclaimed documentaries on the Armenian GenocideArmenian GenocideThe Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
, modern Armenian history, and Historical Armenia