AZG Armenian Daily #019, 04/02/2005

Cinematography

HOLLYWOOD’S SPIRIT IN ARMENIA

New Birth of Hayfilm

Hayfilm, the first and the biggest cinema studio of the Soviet Armenia,
was founded in1923. In 1957 it was called Hayfilm, while in 1966,
it was named after Hamo Beknazarian. Since the very first years it
became clear that the cinema studio will have a long and fruitful
creative life. But, as a result of the changes in the course of the
last 15 years, Hayfilm suffered hardship. Today the studio works in
unbearable conditions, it has only one camera. It is obvious that
the studio can’t work in such conditions for a long time, one should
make huge investments to enter the international cinema market and
should be well-equipped technically. So, it was decided to privatize
the cinema studio.

“About a year and a half ago, we began discussions in that direction,
but we didn’t agree on some points and demands with the investors
(Ara Abrahamian, Gerard Gafestchian) and we stopped the process,”
Gevorg Gevorgian, head of Hayfilm cinema studio, said. At present,
Khachik Khachikian, American-Armenian businessman, chairman of Vision
Quest Pictures company, wants to privatize the studio. He will allocate
$1,5 million for the privatization of the studio, while the further
investments will surpass $100 million. According to Mr. Gevorgian,
by the instruction of RA prime minister, the possession of the studio
is being calculated. As for the concern that the deal may turn to be
an unreal one, Mr. Gevorgian assured that “one of the key points of
the agreement is that all the possession should remain to the state
until the investments are made.” The name and the emblem of the studio
(the statue of David of Sassoon) will be preserved.

Representing the plan of the future building of Hayfilm, made by
an American-Armenian Architect, Mr. Gevorgian described the main
constructions of the studio. Mr. Gevorgian denied the information that
the current building of the studio will be totally ruined. “The studio
will be preserved with its main edifices. The small and unimportant
constructions may be destroyed,” he said.

The construction of the cine-city will have two stages. The first
one includes the total renovation of the whole studio, construction
of squares, creation of artificial lakes and fountains, construction
of 12 gigantic pavilions (each of them is a double one, i.e. there
will be 24 pavilions in total), the establishment of a cinema-school,
where the students of our cinema and art institutes will study. The
investor will secure equipment that keeps in line with the European
criteria. The cinema production section, as well as the artificial
city will be constructed in the territory of Hayfilm. Investments
amounting to $112 million are envisaged for this stage. The films of
the studio will be rerecorded in the digital format. An international
film festival is envisaged to be held in Hayfilm.

They envisage building a hotel complex in the second stage. This
hotel complex will be no entertainment center but will receive the
cinema figures from foreign countries. $100 million is envisaged for
this stage. In fact, the investments will surpass the expectations.

In one word, a real miracle is going to take place in the course of
the coming five years.

The new Hayfilm will have 2500-3000 employees instead of the 300 that
are currently working at the studio. This will solve the issue of
the unemployment and the minimal salary of the employees will amount
to $100.

Simultaneously with the reconstruction works, many films will be shot
at Hayfilm. The studio envisages to shoot 5-6 début films, 4 feature
films and 4 cartoons will be produced by Hayfilm in 2005. The studio
will represent Edgar Baghdasarian’s “Mariam” and Vigen Chaldranian’s
“Agatangeghos” films in at Cannes Film Festival. In case they manage,
they will send a film to the US Film Academy to be nominated, as well.

Mr. Gevorgian stated that AMD 250 million are allocated for the studio
from the state budget annually.

Let’s wish success to the authors of this great initiative and let’s
hope that one day we will again be proud of the miracle the Armenian
cinema creates.

By Gohar Gevorgian

–Boundary_(ID_egX9SHSgHgOpyCN4jj92qQ)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress