Armenian filmmaker Jivan Avetisyan’s movie screened at Venice Film Festival

Armenian filmmaker Jivan Avetisyan’s 'The Last Inhabitant' was screened on September 5 at the Venice Production Bridge of the Venice International Film Festival in Italy ahead of its release in the US on September 15.

As the Fish Eye Art Cultural Foundation reported in a release, the film screening was held at the initiative of the organization’s Italian partner Blue Knowledge Association and personally its Director Orietta Trevisanato Zampieri. The event was carried out under the high patronage and with the direct participation of Luca Zaia, Veneto Governor (Administrative center – Venice).

According to the source, film director Jivan Avetisyan, co-producer Kestutis Drazdauskas, Executive Producer Adrineh Mirzayan, and lead actress Sandra Daukšaitė-Petrulėnė were present at the film presentation.

The film screening was attended by public, culture figures, representatives of the film industry, distributors, and sale agents, Asbarez reports.

The Governor of Venice’s office warmly welcomed the film and was impressed that an Armenian film participated in the Venice International Film Festival. Gift exchange took place at the Palace of the Veneto Region where Director Jivan Avetisyan presented an Artsakh carpet.

Present were Ambassador to Italy Victoria Baghdassarian, lead actress Sandra Daukšaitė-Petrulėnė, co-producer Kestutis Drazdauskas, and Executive Producer Adrineh Mirzayan.

The screening was followed by a cocktail party, during which the attendees shared their impressions on the film, expressing highly positive views.

“The Venice Film Festival is one of the unique events which evaluates the arthouse films, accepts and attaches importance to the films telling about human destinies, and it is not accidental that ‘The Last Inhabitant’ gained an opportunity to be shown on the sidelines of an Italian film festival, under the aegis of the Veneto Governor, Luca Zaia. The first emotions I experienced are incredible. I am happy that my film, which I also consider as the film of the entire Armenian nation, lives beyond the Armenian borders and successfully presents itself at such prestigious film festivals. I hope the film screening will prompt the continuity of the Armenian-Italian cooperation, with the film to be also screened at the Italian cinemas.  We have great expectations,” the foundation quoted Jivan Avetisyan as saying.

The film crew also highlighted ‘The Last Inhabitant’ as an international production. Executive Producer Adrineh Mirzayan underscored the role of the Diaspora in supporting the production of such Armenian films.

In addition, ‘The Last Inhabitant’ was also included in the official program of the Scandinavian International Film Festival (SCIFF), the official Facebook account of the film reported.

to welcome over 3000 attendees annually who congregate for festival days of screenings, panels, special events, seminars, and VIP after parties. This year the annual festival is slated for October 25-28.

The “The Last Inhabitant’s” international promotion started with screening at the Venice Production Bridge of the Venice International Film Festival in Italy. The Armenian premiere took place in the scope of the 13th edition of the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival (GAIFF). Over the past year the film was screened in the US, Russia, Iran, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

In “The Last Inhabitant,” film director Jivan Avetisyan, in an attempt to present lies as alleged truth, tells the story of the last resident of a village located in the territory of Azerbaijan, which the Armenian population had left. The film is an attempt to draw the wrong historical picture of the developments of the 1990s. The picture describes just one Armenian in a single village, however, the fact that up to 35,000 Armenians still live in Azerbaijan today is neglected altogether, not to mention the fact that the indigenous Azerbaijani population of Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding regions was driven out of their native lands by Armenian invaders, and this expulsion was marred by violence and mass killings.