HULIQ (press release), NC
June 20 2008
Golden Apricot Dedicates An Anniversary To William Saroyan
This year "Golden Apricot" film festival dedicates one of its
anniversary programs to Armenian American writer William Saroyan’s 100
anniversary. Golden Apricot international movie festival will take
place in Yerevan, Armenia July 13-20.
Starting creatively working at the Hollywood Golden Age, the American
Armenian prominent writer had some cooperation with the film
art. William Saroyan’s works have always been the focus of the
interest of the directors, thus there are 15 films based on his
works. William Saroyan was also a film critic and even a film
director.
At the end of 1941 MGM director Lewis B. Meyer addressed Saroyan
suggesting to write a film script, which would morally support
Americans suffering the anxiety and tension as a result of the war
against Japan. Within a short period of time, Saroyan wrote `The Human
Comedy’ script. Lewis Meyer bought the rights for 60,000 US dollars,
which was a fabulous sum of money for that time. Saroyan was convinced
that he would be the film director, but Meyer refused, arguing that he
had never filmed a film. Saroyan insisted on an opportunity,
suggesting to be provided with three days and corresponding equipment
and three days later Saroyan presented Meyer a completely new script,
based on which the `Good Job’ short film was filmed.
Nevertheless Lewis B. Meyer refused to allow Saroyan to film `The
Human Comedy’, giving that opportunity to director Clarence
Brown. After a while Saroyan wrote his probably the most famous novel
` The Human Comedy’ based on the same script. The book was issued in
1943. By an irony of fate, Saroyan was awarded Oscar for the best
script in 1943.
Within the frameworks of the Golden Apricot Film Festival, for the
first time the Armenian audience will have the opportunity to watch
three films filmed in Hollywood in 1940-ies based on William Saroyan’s
works as well as the short film `Good Job’ filmed by Saroyan. The
Golden Apricot will present 15 feature and animation films including
the ones mentioned, which are based on Saroyan’s works and filmed by
Armenian and Russian filmmakers in different years.
Within the frameworks of the Golden Apricot Festival Tigran
Guyumchyan, South California University professor will present
Saroyan’s films and deliver a lecture on his relations with the film
art.
The presentation of Artsvi Bakhchinyan’s book Four visions: Saroyan
and Hollywood actors will take place within the framework of the
Festival. It includes essays about four famous Hollywood actresses:
Lillian Gish, Greta Garbo, Miriam Hopkins, Marilyn Monroe written by
Saroyan, which are presented in the original, translated into Armenian
and Russian.
The Golden Apricot Film Festival is conducted with the support of
Ministry of Culture of Armenia.
The general sponsor of the Festival is VivaCell.
Source: Reported by Golden Apricot Film Festival