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P AMPLONA, SPAIN — Government of Navarra, Spain, on February 5, 2010,
opened a photography exhibition in the memory of the influential
Armenian film director, cinematographer and essayist Mikhail Vartanov,
who passed away on December 31st, 2009 in Hollywood, California. The
exhibtion is held at the 16th century Condestable Palace and is part
of the Punto de Vista International Documentary Film Festival of
Navarra. I Will Wear Your Beret Papa is the title of the exhibition of
black and white photographs by award-winning filmmaker and
photographer Martiros Vartanov, and feature Mikhail Vartanov in his
famous beret on the streets of Spain and his meetings there with
Andrei Tarkovsky’s sister, Marina Tarkovskaya, Jean Vigo’s daughter,
the film critic Luce Vigo, and the Russian filmmakers Aleksandr Gordon
and Herz Frank during the Spanish premiere of Vartanov’s Armenian
masterpiece ‘Parajanov: The Last Spring.’
For more information and photos go to Puntodevista.navarra.es or
Parajanov.com.
Mikhail Vartanov (1937-2009) cemented his reputation as one of the
most important Armenian intellectuals of his generation with a series
of Russian language essays on Sergei Paradjanov, Artavazd Peleshian,
Jean Carzou, and the collection of The Unmailed Letters. Vartanov was
blacklisted for his debut documentary film, ‘The Color of Armenian
Land’ (1969), in which he presented the ancient and modern art and
history of Armenia through Martiros Saryan’s silent commentary of
gestures and the dissident artists Minas Avetisyan and Sergei
Parajanov. Vartanov’s next film, ‘Autumn Pastoral’ (1971), based on
Artavazd Peleshian’s screenplay and scored by composer Tigran
Mansurian was shelved. For supporting Sergei Parajanov, Vartanov was
fired from Armenfilm Studio in 1974, four months after Parajanov’s
imprisonment. Artavazd Peleshian and Gennadi Melkonian petitioned
Armenian and Russian authorities to work with Vartanov and in 1975
Vartanov filmed Artavazd Peleshian’s classic film ‘Seasons of the
Year’ and Melkonian’s beloved comedy hit ‘The Mulberry Tree’ (Teteni)
in 1979. Vartanov has also made with Armenian writers William Saroyan
and Aghasi Avyazyan. Vartanov’s last work in Armenia was the
documentary trilogy ‘Erased Faces’ (1987), ‘Minas: A Requiem’ (1989)
and ‘Paradjanov: The Last Spring’ (1992) which for 18 years holds the
record for winning the first and the only Russian Academy of Cinema
Arts Award for a film made in Armenia. Russian Academy Award is the
most coveted professional cinema honor in the region (of the former
Soviet republics). Vartanov dedicated his life to defending and
supporting Sergei Paradjanov and embarked on a 2 decade long world
tour with ‘Parajanov: The Last Spring’ until his last days in
2009. Sergei Parajanov’s favorite painter, the great Armenian artist
Gayane Khachatryan wrote in 1993: ‘On January 9, came Vartanov,
Parajanov’s most devoted friend, an amazing man, gave an amazing
speech…’ Vartanov would have turned 73 this month.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
