A row of events to be dedicated to Artavazd Peleshyan's 75th anniversary

YEREVAN, MAY 2, ARMENPRESS. A number of events to be dedicated to the 75th anniversary of prominent Armenian documentary filmmaker Artavazd Peleshyan will be held in Armenia. The Acting Minister of Culture of the Republic of Armenia Hasmik Poghosyan that all the events will be held this year. Among the main objectivesis to create benevolent conditions for financing a movie by Artavazd Peleshyan. Among other things Hasmik Poghosyan underscored: "We are hopeful we shall manage to support shooting the movie."

Besides the movie it is considered to introduce Artavazd Peleshyan's life and work. The renowned filmmaker himself has authored the aforesaid book.

Also, Artavazd Peleshyan has already been invited to take part in the "Golden Apricot 2013" film festival, where a special program will be dedicated to him.

Artavazd Peleshyan was born on February 22, 1938, in Leninakan. He is a distinguished Armenian director of film-essays, a documentarian in the history of film art, and a film theorist. In the words of the filmmaker Sergei Parajanov, Peleshyan is "one of the few authentic geniuses in the world of cinema".

His early films, made he was still a student at VGIK, were awarded several prizes. To date, 12 films by Peleshyan are known to exist. The Beginning (Skizbe) (1967) is a cinematographical essay about the October Revolution of 1917. One of the unique visual effects used in this film is achieved by holding snippets of film still on a single frame, then advancing only for a second or two before again pausing on another, resulting in a stuttering visual effect. Other important films by him are We (Menq) (1967, a poetically told history of Armenia and its people, and Inhabitant (Obitateli) (1970), a reflection on the relationship between wildlife and humans. Artavazd Peleshian's most brilliant film is considered, by many critics, to be The Seasons of the Year (1975). Exquisitely shot by cinematographer Mikhail Vartanov, it is an outstanding look at the contradiction and harmony between humans and nature.

Prominent Armenian filmmaker Artavazd Peleshyan became a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. The President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree of granting the outstanding filmmaker citizenship of the Republic of Armenia. Minister of Culture of the Republic of Armenia handed over the passport to Artavazd Peleshyan. In her speech Hasmik Poghosyan stated that for her this is a great responsibility, as Peleshyan is a renowned person and the whole Armenian nation and all the mankind is proud of him.