Samvel Tadevosyan, Sos Janibekyan and other celebrities to star in Arman Nshanyan’s new film

Actor, director Arman Nshanyan will soon start filming a new fiction movie presenting the story of Komitas’ life, the friendship between Armenian and Turkish girls, and also the era of Hamidian massacres.

Arman shared film’s first details with tert.am, stressing, that Komitas part is entrusted to actor Samvel Tadevosyan.

Director also said that the film’s working title is “The Past Unsung”. “The film is presenting Hamidian massacres, during which 300,000 Armenians were killed. Although, the 1915’s Genocide is more spoken about, but I think, that Hamidian massacres are also very important, as it was the beginning of Meds Yeghern. Events, which will be presented in the film, will start in Komitas’s birthplace. The movie will be based on the story of friendship between Armenian and Turkish girls, which continued during Hamidian massacres. Before those awful events they lived side by side and there was no personal hostility between people. But when massacres began besides Armenians those turks, who had Armenian friends were also killed. Nevertheless these girls’ friendship got through that hell. This story teaches that true friendship and love can overcome everything. Film will be based on Sirvard Kavukchyan’s grandmother’s real life strory,” Nshanyan said, adding that parallel with it, it will tell about Komitas’s childhood and life. Going into the further details Nshanyan said that the screenwriter is Odri Gevorgyan. The cast includes Tatev Hovakimyan, Sos Janibekyan, Arevik Gevorgyan, Shaqe Tukhmanyan, Jean Nshanyan. Kids who are choosen to portray baby Komitas and his friends are already approved.

Director noted that is was very difficult to make a choice for little Soghomon’s role. Eventually, the needed character (Slava) was found. Nshanyan highlighted that the film will have a lot of Komitas music. “Many people know who is Komitas, but at the same time they do not know what he has done. They do not know, that Komitas is not the author of those songs. He wrote them down and saved. If not Komitas, we would not have the Armenian music, which represents our nation’s particular features,” Nshanyan said.

He also informed, that the film will be made with the support of American partners. “I’ve been ordered from USA to make such film. It will totally be funded by American organizations, but, of course, the interested producers are Armenians. Ani Vorskanyan from AnEva Production is our co-producer. Asko Akopian, who is from Oscar Gold Production is a huge support to us. And “The sound of children” organization’s funder “Thru the eyes of children” company’s co-founder Sirvard Kavukchyan has not only told us the movie’s story, but also is our co-producer,” Nshanyan said. He added, that in the near future he’ll make another two films, which are also ordered from America.

“People abroad don’t believe, that it is possible to make movies in Armenia, as we do not have that experience. They think about filming in Georgia, but it is a double expense for them. As for us, we are trying to make such films, which will make Americans realize, that they can invest in Armenia, where it is possible to make worthy films,” Nshanyan concluded. The director and his partners are planning to introduce “The Past Unsung” not only in Armenia, but also abroad.