The Golden Apricot international film festival press conference took place

YEREVAN, June 16, ARKA/. This year’s Golden Apricot international film festival is scheduled to be held from July 10-17. The  mission of the Golden Apricot is  to highlight Yerevan as an international cultural and cinematographic center. This year’s event is 13th in a row.  

The General Partner of the festival is Armenia’s  VivaCell-MTS telecom operator.  The 10-year anniversary of cooperation between GOLDEN APRICOT  and VivaCell-MTS will be marked this year.

Speaking at a press conference on June 15 minister of culture Hasmik Poghosyan said: “This year the ‘Golden Apricot’ Film Festival is very special to us as it is devoted to the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence… Being a standalone and a synthetic project, the ‘Golden Apricot’ encompasses all those conceptions, which define the notion of independence – peace, philanthropy, and democracy.” According to the Minister, through all the past years the festival has been a tool to break barriers.

Mrs Poghosyan also underlined the importance of the ‘Armenian Cinema: Modern Times’ nomination within the festival, a novelty of this year, which is expected to summon the cinematographic achievements of the free and independent Armenia.

“It's the 13th edition of the festival this year already. One might think that people might already be tired, and we are bored to do the same work, especially in these days of many challenges both for our country and the whole world generally. Taking all this into account I am more than excited to thank the Ministry of Culture and VivaCell-MTS for standing by our side like the mountain Ararat.   But we have to show the world that we are still strong. The festival this year has also got lots of programs that include the best directors and their movies from all over the world. The festival refers to the 25th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia. This is some kind of retrospective cinema feedback to our republic's young history”, - Golden Apricot’s Founder-Director Harutyun Khachatryan said.

“Cinematography defines today’s myths. Films ensure the transition of the epos in the modern way. Nations that have no cinematography of their own, forget the epos of their own, and are influenced by the epos of other nations. Hence, responsibility lies upon us to support the development of Armenian cinematography especially during this important time period when our Nation is confronted with so many huge internal and external challenges, when we are both the participant, witness and writer of our history. Needless to say that in the present-day world, having national cinematography is a must – as one of the most powerful tools of mass communication and anti-propaganda – used both for protecting national identity and promoting national interest,” VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said.

The non-competition programs this year promise to be rich and diverse. Most important and inseparable Yerevan Premieres, Retrospectives and Tributes this year will also include old and new masterpieces of the world cinema masters.

Armenian Cinema: Our Days

The festival has recieved more than 900 submissions from 91 countries. Around 135 films are included into the competition and non-competition different programs. One of the important initiatives of the 13th edition will be the film program, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia. The best feature and documentary films, made during those 25 years, will be presented to spectators, in the special program, entitled Armenian Cinema:Our Days. To coordinate the program film critics were invited, who not only will introduce the story behind every film, but will also hold a round table to rebound the history of the independent cinema, the issues and the ways of its development. The program will open the film A Story of People in War and Peace (2007) by Vardan Hovhannisyan

Shakespeare Lives in Film
GOLDEN APRICOT IFF in cooperation with British Council in Armenia will present a special film program, dedicated to the 400th anniversary of renowned British writer William Shakespeare’s death. The best films, based on Shakespeare’s works, will be screened in the frames of the program.

French New Cinema
The program is realized together with the Embassy of France to Armenia. It includes the best three films of French production.  The program will open with Two Remis, Two, (2015) by Pierre Léon.

Danish New Cinema
The program is implemented in cooperation with the Danish Film Institute. By the way, this is going to be the second collaboration between GOLDEN APRICOT IFF and Danish Film Institute. The program will present the best Danish films of the last five years. The Commune (2015) by Thomas Winterberg will open the program.

Basque New Cinema
The best films by Basque directors will be presented in a separate film program. The program is carried out with Epe-Apv and includes 4 films. The film Autumn without Berlin (2015) by Lara Izagirre is to open the film program.

Tributes
In the frames of GOLDEN APRICOT 13th  Yerevan International Film Festival there will be tributes to the masters of Armenian Cinema: Dmitri Kesayants, Edmond Keosayan, Ruben Gevorgyants and Roman Balayan.
On the occasion of Dmitri Kesayants’, Edmond Keosayan’s and Albert Yavuryan’s anniversaries stars will be placed in the Charles Aznavour square.
The film Autumn of the magician (2008) will be screened in honor of Ruben Gevorgyants 70th  anniversary. -0-

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14:15 06/16/2016