Opening ceremonies for the 14th annual Golden Apricot
International Film Festival (Yerevan) were held on Sunday, July 9, kicking off this year’s
festival amid controversy stemming from the organizers’ decision to
cancel an off-competition screening of 40 films showcasing work of
filmmakers from around the world, with some accusing organizers of
censorship.
Filmmakers who had submitted their work to be screened in an
off-competition program entitled, “Armenians: Internal And External
Views,” were informed Friday through an email from Golden Apricot
organizers that the screening of the entire slate of films was
cancelled, without elaborating on a reason for this decision.
“We want to inform you that Armenians: Internal And External Views
non-competition program is completely cancelled. We apologize for any
inconveniences,” said the email received by Eulmessekian and the other
filmmakers whose works were to be screened.
The decision has also baffled Beirut-based filmmaker Nigol Bezjian
whose documentary, “Temple of Light,” centering on the closure of the
Melkonian School in Cyprus, was to have been screened during the
program.
“The film is about the shutting down of the Melkonian School and now the
film is shut [down] in Yerevan,” Bezjian told Asbarez through Facebook
Messenger, pointing to the irony of the situation.
At the same time, activists took to social media to voice their anger
at the cancellation, with some claiming that two LGBT-themed films,
which were part of the program’s slate were at the heart of the decision
to cancel the entire program.
A documentary, “Listen to Me: Untold Stories beyond Hatred,” and
“Apricot Groves,” a fiction film featuring LGBT characters, were
originally included in the “Armenians: Internal And External Views”
lineup.
Armenia’s Cinematographers’ Union said that due to the passing of the
group’s former director, Rouben Gevorgyants on June 23, the group was
in mourning and would not screen any films. The group had said earlier
that the two LGBT-themed films would have to be removed and threatened
to cancel the entire showcase of 40 films.
Throughout the weekend social media sites were abuzz with allegations
and finger pointing and conclusions that the Golden Apricot organizers
caved in to archaic approaches toward LGBT people and cancelled the
entire slate.(*)
The organizers are doing themselves a disservice by not clearly
articulating the impetus for the cancellations. Asbarez’s email inquiry
to the organizers of the festival remains unanswered.
Canadian Armenian filmmaker Atom Egoyan and his actress and activist
wife Arsinee Khanjian posted an announcement on Facebook decrying the
decision to cancel the slate of films. They also argue that the best way
to honor a late cinematographer is to ensure that the medium continues
to flourish and proliferate.
“We are very concerned about the censorship by the Union of
Cinematographers and the following decision to cancel an entire
programming by the Golden Apricot Film Festival. Atom was President of
the Festival for almost ten years and it’s dismaying to see a festival
that we both proudly advocated for within the international film
community in the name of films and filmmakers that spoke of such urgent
human rights issues can be suppressed, especially when these ideas need
to be discussed and brought to light,” said the announcement by the two
Diasporan artists.
“Surely there is no better way to honour the spirit of an important
Armenian filmmaker, Rouben Gevorgyants, than by making sure new films
from Armenian voices can be seen and shared. We have never heard of a
program of new films being cancelled to commemorate a cineaste’s death
as a sign of mourning and respect! This claim seems, therefore, quite
preposterous. We urge the Festival to review this outlandish decision.
We urge the Festival to present this programme of thought-provoking work
which reflects the true diversity of voices present in Armenia today
and the Diaspora alike,” added the announcement.
The festival kicked off on Sunday with the traditional blessing of
the apricots, a fruit indigenous to Armenia, and continued with the
unveiling of stars of directors Frunze Dovlatyan, Yuri Yerznkyan and
cinematographer Sergey Israelyan at Charles Aznavour Square in Yerevan.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by founding director of the festival
Harutyun Khachatryan and Ralph Yirikian, the General Manager of
VivaCell-MTS, which is the general partner of the festival.
After the introduction of the jury and the competition program, the
festival’s opening film, “Khaspush” by Hamo Beknazaryan, was screened.
According to the organizers, this year, the annual film festival,
founded in 2004, received 1,100 film submissions from 96 countries.
Organizers selected 47 films to compete in three main categories:
International Feature Competition (12 films), International Documentary
Competition (16 films) and Armenian Panorama National Competition (19
films).
"Asbarez," July 10, 2017
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(*) The weekly Iravunk, which belongs to the Union of Constitutional Rights, reported on July 9 about a demonstration during the opening by a group of people "who had come to alert that there is an attempt within the context of the Golden Apricot festival to execute propaganda of degeneration and sodomy [այլասերուածութեան ու սոդոմական պղծութիւնների] through two films to be shown." It also had a short interview with one Arman Boshyan, president of the so-called "Pan-Armenian Committee of Parents," who alleged that "the Golden Apricot festival was getting ready to show degenerated films for children," because the two films were reportedly announced for people aged 12 and older, and demanded to pass a law "to forbid the propaganda of degeneration in Armenia" (www.iravunk.am) ("Armeniaca")
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