AZG Armenian Daily #129, 14/07/2005

Cinema

ATOM EGOYAN WANTS TO SEE INTERESTED SPECTATORS IN ARMENIA

Golden Apricot International Film Festival launched at “Nairi” movie
theatre on July 12. After the opening ceremony of the festival the
organizers began the sacred ceremony of blessing apricots at
St. Zoravor church. Atom Egoyan, film director, stated during the
press conference that the festival is an unprecedented phenomenon for
our culture and added he was proud for that. He said that it is very
important that the films of foreign directors as well are included in
the film festival, as it became an international one this year. Atom
Egoyan also emphasized the importance of representing the films of our
old masters to the young Armenian spectators. He said he will be glad
if the spectators will have the opportunity to begin a dialogue with
the cinematographers. Atom Egoyan has just returned from the film
festival in Karlovi Vari and he said the young Armenian spectators
were very interested and encouraged here too.

Mr. Egoyan is glad that the festival helps the directors to
communicate with each other. “Yesterday I had a nice evening with
Kiarostami. I have met him during a number of film festivals and I am
glad to see him here,” Mr. Egoyan said.

Atom Egoyan said that it will be difficult to chose among the films,
as there are many films that won first prizes at international film
festivals. “Atomic Truth,” the last film of the director will not be
shown at the festival, as Egoyan wanted to be included in the
activities of the jury solely. But he said that soon the film will be
shown both in Russia and in Armenia. “It was shot to be shown in the
Cannes, but I am still working on that,” he said.

Ruben Gevorgiants, head of the jury for documentary films, said that
the festival is developing. He compared the festival with a child that
learns to walk and soon will tell the world about our country.

Atom Egoyan said that in the beginning he didn’t get the meaning of
this year’s symbol of the festival, but when he understood that, he
got hungry.

By Tamar Minasia