THIRD GOLDEN APRICOT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL STARTS IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 10, "Voske
Tsiran" (Golden Apricot) Third International Film Festival started
with the showing of the Hamo Beknazarian’s "Namus" film at the Yerevan
Moscow cinema (the film was shot in 1930s). On the occasion of the
festival’s opening, "Andrey" documentary film by Arsen Azatian and
Narine Mkrtchian (15 minutes) dedicated to the famous movie director
Andrey Tarkovski’s visit to Armenia in 1965 was also shown.

Greeting the guests and the participants of the Festival Vartan
Oskanian, honorary President of the Voske Tsiran festival, Foreign
Minister of Armenia mentioned that when three years ago he was
welcoming the start of the first Festival, he had a preoccupation that
it would not have a continuation. But now due to the great people of
the Armenian cinema and the audience the festival is a solid event
and has become traditional. "Today the cinematography has a great
role in the issue of establishing dialogue between states and nations.

And this festival also, in which the artists from neighbor countries
participate, is an evidence of it," said Vartan Oskanian.

Atom Egoyan, President of the Voske Tsiran film festival, a
well-known Canadian Armenian movie director mentioned in his speech
that the festivals are great opportunities for new meetings and
contacts. According to him, for example Godfrey Reggio, knowing the
films and the art of Artavazd Peleshian, had never seen him, and now
their meeting took place. Coming back to Armenia in 1989, after the
[1988] earthquake, Moritz de Hadeln organized showing of Armenian
documentary films in the Berlin festival. Atom Egoyan also mentioned
that movies are the most wonderful means for people to beome closer
and establish contacts.

The President of the Festival handed the award for great contribution
in the World cinema, "Taler of Parajanov" (copy of symbolic "money"
made by the great film director from bottle lids when in custody)
to Marco Bellocchio, alive classic of the Italian cinema.

It should be mentioned that Atom Egoyan arrived in Armenia for a day
and was to leave after the opening ceremony.

58 countries presented 300 applications for participating in the
festival.

114 movies which were selected beforehand will be shown on the main
days of the festival on July 10-15 as well as numerous exhibitions,
seminars, masterclasses dedicated to the cinema art will be organized.

Before the opening ceremony of the festival, a consecration ceremony
was organized in the yard of the Moscow cinema, in the Charles Aznavour
square. Jazz band of the Public Radio performed jazz performances.