Armenian film director Ruben Gevorgyants dies

Ruben Gevorgyants, a popular Armenian film director and artist, has passed away at age 72.

He died in his home in Yerevan on Friday afternoon, his son told our correspondent. A special government commission will be created to arrange his funeral.

Born in Yerevan in November, 1945, the prominent cinematographer received his professional education at the Theatrical Institute (currently Yerevan State Institute of Theater and Cinema). In 1971, he worked at the Yerevan Studio of Documentary Films. From 1982 to 1989, Gevorgyants was the artistic director of the Armenian film studio Hayfilm (Armenfilm). Later, he headed the film studio Hayk, where he also worked as an artistic director. From 1995 until 1998, Gevorgyants was a lecturer at the Armenian Pedagogical Institute. Later, he taught also at the Institute of Theater and Cinema (where he was a professor from 2003 onwards).

Over the course of his career that spanned four decades, Gevorgyants created 70 movies. He participated in numerous Armenian and international film festivals, winning 21 diplomas and awards (of which 6 were grand prix). He also wrote three books: “Time of the Rains”, “Time for Acquittal”, “No Time”. In 2008, he played in the movie “The Revenger”.

For film “The Kind Trace”, Gevorgyants won the Grand Prix at the 1981 Oberhausen Film Festival (Gemrany). In 2004, the International Academy of Television and Radio gave him the Academician's title. A year later, the acclaimed director was appointed the head of the Union of Cinematographers of Armenia. Gevorgyants was also honored as Merited  Artist (1982), and People’s of Armenia (2006).