YEREVAN— The 14th annual Golden Apricot International Film Festival will take place in Armenia’s capital July 9-16.
Festival representatives joined Armenian Minister of Culture and representatives of festival partner VivaCell-MTS on June 5 to announce details about the upcoming installment of the festival.
The press conference opened with the presentation of the festival’s official poster. The apricot-shaped geometric figure (Cuboctahedron) symbolizes the 14th edition of the festival.
The speakers at the press conference, the Minister of Culture of Armenia Armen Amiryan, VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian, Golden Apricot Founding Director Harutyun Khachatryan, Programs Director Mikayel Stamboltsyan, and Artistic Director Susanna Harutyunyan, reflected on the importance of the long-term cooperation, and presented some of this year’s programs. In particular, they announced the names of international jury members, as well as the titles of the opening and the closing films.
This year the festival received about 1,100 film submissions from 96 countries.
More than hundred films were included in the competition and non-competition programs.
“There are events, which leave an invaluable mark on the public life—they shape minds, create opportunities to bolster the country’s reputation, and to educate generation. I won’t be mistaken if I say the Golden Apricot Film Festival is one of those events in Armenia. It shapes a system of values, uses the language of the art to raise problems, and to sow seeds of beauty and vigor. It has been the visit card of Armenia for 14 years in a row. I am proud of our cooperation and of the festival’s achievements for all these years,” said VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.
International Jury Boards
International Feature Competition
Hugh Hudson, Director (United Kingdom)
Ciro Guerra, Director (Colombia)
Aleksey Fedorchenko, Director (Russia)
Ildiko Enyedi, Director (Hungary)
International Documentary Competition
Eugene Corr, Director (USA)
Tom Fassaert, Director (The Netherlands)
Michelangelo Messina, Festival Director (Italy )
Grigor Harutyunyan, Director (Armenia)
Mimi Gjorgovska, Cinemateque Director (Macedonia)
Armenian Panorama National Competition
Maryam d’Abo, Actress (United Kingdom)
David Safarian, Director (Armenia)
Yadwiga Nowakowska, Director (Poland)
Gaga Chkheidze, Festival Director (Georgia)
Jens Geiger, Programer (Germany)
Opening Film
Khasphush (1927), Hamo Beknazaryan
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the film.
Khaspush is about the Persian revolutionary movement of the peasants and townspeople against the dominance of the English tobacco monopoly. This film is not only the first Armenian historical-revolutionary film, but also the first to depict Persians in world cinema.
Closing Film
Intent to Destroy (2017), Joe Berlinger
Armenian Genocide documentary Intent to Destroy was premiere at Tribeca Film Fest. Joe Berlinger meets with historians and scholars to discuss the Armenian Genocide and the continuing denial by the Turkish government.
Film screenings will be accompanied by workshops and master-classes.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Fourteenth Golden Apricot International Film Festival to Kick-Off in Yerevan on July 9