Google & Armenian Institute

Last month, we were delighted to join an online event at Google, celebrating how Armenian identity continues to thrive in the diaspora.

Tatiana Der Avedissian, Chair of Trustees at the Armenian Institute, introduced our mission and work.

Our Programme Manager, Erica Payet, had the opportunity to present our Heritage of Displacement project in depth — highlighting its goals, progress, the involvement of volunteers, and its broader impact on how Armenian history is shared and questioned.

It was a meaningful chance to connect with the international Armenian community at Google, reflect on our work, and build bridges for future collaboration.

Thank you to Google employees Dr. Vahan Yoghourdjian and Christine J. for the warm welcome and the platform to share our story.

 

An Update from Our Team

When Juan de Lara joined the Armenian Institute, he was tasked with managing the administration of the charity while developing the future growth of our Institute, both of which he has taken in his stride and accomplished. From transforming the organisational structure, to ensuring the charity continues to be sustainable, to launching new projects such as our Heritage of Displacement Project, and running excellent event programmes for our audience, Juan has made a huge impact on the charity.

We are excited to share that from October 2024, Juan was appointed a Teaching Fellow at the University of Oxford. Nonetheless, Juan will not become a stranger to the Armenian Institute and will continue supporting our organisation as a senior advisor, advancing our charity's goals.

Tatiana Der Avedissian, chair of trustees said, "The trustees are really happy for Juan as this is a wonderful opportunity for him, and we'd like to think his work at the Armenian Institute supported this new job opportunity. From the moment we interviewed Juan, he understood the charity's mission and over the last year, along with our incredible staff, they have continued to deliver on making Armenian culture and history a living experience."

We celebrate the news as we continue to grow and build on the momentum we have achieved to date. We want to also thank our donors and supporters as they continue to support the Armenian Institute's work.

New Partnership - Life in Armenia Digital Magazine

We are thrilled to announce a new partnership between the Armenian Institute and Life in Armenia, a monthly digital magazine that promotes Armenia as a growing destination for digital nomads and remote workers to over 15,000 readers worldwide.

As part of this collaboration, we will now have printed copies of Life in Armenia magazine available for consultation in our library each month, besides a QR code to download the digital version of the magazine. Whether you're interested in learning about Armenia's visa requirements, tax conditions, startup ecosystem, or cultural landscape, you can explore the latest insights shared by both local and international professionals. The magazine offers invaluable information for those considering relocating to Armenia, including healthcare, education, and even children's opportunities.

We are particularly excited about this partnership because it will allow us to share information about the Armenian Institute’s online language classes with a broader audience. Starting in October, Life in Armenia will feature advertisements for our Eastern and Western Armenian language courses, providing more people around the world with the opportunity to connect with Armenia’s rich linguistic heritage.

We look forward to continuing to share our resources with the Armenian community, digital nomads, and anyone who wants to learn more about this remarkable country. Be sure to stop by our library to explore Life in Armenia, or follow along with the magazine's digital edition for more updates!

A message from our Director

We write to you today with profound sadness and grave concern as we condemn the recent attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh, known in Armenian as Artsakh, an area of deep historical and cultural significance to the Armenian people. Nagorno-Karabakh has long symbolised resilience, identity, and the aspirations of its people. The renewed violence and hostilities that have erupted in the region, following months of shortages caused by the blockade of the Lachin corridor, are a source of immense sorrow as they threaten the lives of innocent civilians and the cultural heritage in these lands.

We implore Azerbaijan to immediately cease all threats to the Armenian people, prioritise the safety and well-being of civilians, and engage in meaningful dialogue to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the ongoing conflict. We emphasise the importance of the international community taking a stand for peace, justice, and the protection of Armenians and Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Armenian Institute in London remains committed to its mission of fostering understanding and appreciation of Armenian culture and heritage through education by raising awareness of its historical significance and creative outputs. We stand in solidarity with the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and all those affected by the recent violence. It is our hope that, through peaceful dialogue, international support and understanding, we can help preserve the safety and rich cultural heritage of this region for future generations.

Dr Juan de Lara

Director

New Director Appointed - Juan de Lara

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Juan de Lara as the new Director of The Armenian Institute. Dr De Lara is an archaeologist, art historian, and digital engineer with over 20 years of experience leading businesses and charities. He also holds the position of Associate Researcher at the University of Oxford - Khalili Research Centre for the Art and Material Culture of the Middle East and is also a Trustee of Global Learning London.

Previously, he served as the Director of the Bagri Foundation (2021–2023), where he spearheaded the organisation's endeavours to foster and celebrate the arts and culture of Asia. Prior to this role, he held the position of Cultural Manager at Asia House (2018–2021) and has been an advisor for The Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition 'Epic Iran' (2020) and consultant for the world-leading cultural consultancy firm Barker Langham (2019–2023). Dr De Lara's academic background includes extensive research in the archaeology of the ancient and late antique Mediterranean, the Near East, and the Caucasus. His work focuses on understanding cross-cultural networks that existed between societies throughout this time. Currently, his research delves into the interactions between ancient Urartu and the Aegean during the first millennium BCE.

Dr De Lara said: “I am honoured to be entrusted with the opportunity to serve not only the Armenian community but also the global stage in advancing and celebrating the culture and heritage of the Armenian people. This endeavour promises to be an extraordinary chapter in the annals of our institute's history. I look forward to fostering meaningful collaborations with each of you, as we embark on a shared mission promoting cultural awareness while remaining attuned to the ever-evolving social needs of our time. As we continue to build upon the legacy of this esteemed centre together, let us ensure that it resounds deeply within the hearts of generations to come.”

Tatiana der Avedissian, chair of the Board of Trustees, said: "We are thrilled to have Juan join our team. Juan not only possesses extensive knowledge of Armenian culture and history, but also brings a wealth of experience in developing exemplary programmes and growth for the organisations he has been part of. We look forward to this new chapter at the Armenian Institute under his expert leadership and we can't wait for you all to meet him."

If you would like to contact the Director, please write to juan@armenianinstitute.org.uk.

A Message from the Armenian Institute

We regret to announce that our archivist Dr. Sahika Erkonan is leaving the Armenian Institute. Sahika has been with AI for two years and has made an invaluable contribution to the maintenance and digitisation of AI's archival collections.

During her time at AI, Sahika has truly transformed the Institute's archival tradition, raising it to a professional standard. She oversaw the digitisation of Harry Koundakjian's archive as well as the organisation of Elena and Mischa Kudian's archive.

While we are saddened by her leaving, we congratulate Sahika on starting a postdoctoral position in Armenia-Turkey relations at the University of Cambridge funded by the Gulbenkian Foundation. We feel proud of Sahika's achievement, which is a great opportunity to employ her talent for the good of research and academia.

A Message from the Armenian Institute

It is with regret that we announce that our director, Tatevik Ayvazyan is leaving the Armenian Institute at the end of the month. She has been with us for nearly three very busy and exciting years, leading the organisation and successfully navigating through the challenging times of Covid, the Artsakh war and the office/library move. 

Under Tatevik’s leadership, AI has effectively transitioned to become a significant institution and major player in the Armenian Diaspora. Since joining, she worked tirelessly to elevate the Armenian Institute to its current position - an organisation that houses the largest Armenian library and archives collection in the UK (and amongst the largest in Europe), offers an impressive platform of language classes, runs a wide variety of events and podcast programmes as well as publishing a magazine and books and making films. 

She and her team have collaborated and built bridges with other neighbouring cultural organisations. In that respect, they have truly raised the organisation's profile and made Armenian culture relevant. 

While we are sad to see Tatevik leave AI, we know that she is moving to new, exciting projects in filmmaking and the literary world and we certainly look forward to working with her on future projects and initiatives. We are certain that you will all agree that she leaves AI in much better shape than when she joined. 

With thanks and our best wishes for continued success,

AI Team

Support Our Archives: Our Latest Fundraiser

In autumn 2022, our National Lottery Heritage Fund grant will come to an end. It enabled AI’s librarian Dr. Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian and archivist Dr. Sahika Erkonan to start much-needed work on our archives and library. This process began by organising the archive materials and ensuring that they are stored in archival boxes of professional quality. Thanks to the efforts and dedication of our colleagues, AI’s archives are now in a much better condition than before and are ready to be catalogued and digitised.

The most valuable archive owned by the Institute is that of Prof. Charles Dowsett, the first Calouste Gulbenkian professor of Armenian Studies at Oxford University, alongside historian Christopher Walker’s archive, another important collection for the Institute. In addition to AI’s eight original archives, we have recently received a generous donation from the Koundakjian family - the photographic archive of the prominent Armenian photojournalist Harry Koundakjian. Furthermore, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Erkonan, materials belonging to pianist Elena Kudian have now been separated from the Mischa Kudian archive, making it AI’s first archive dedicated to a female artist.

There has been significant interest in our archival materials, both from academics and the community, and we would very much like to make the collections as accessible as possible by digitising, cataloguing, and preparing finding aids. Dr. Stepan-Sarkissian and Dr. Erkonan are assisted by a group of fantastic volunteers, who are being trained to work on our archives.

We are launching this campaign to raise funds to enable our colleagues to continue their hard work on the preservation and cataloguing of AI’s archival collections. The funds we raise will be spent on organising, cataloguing, digitising, and bundling our archives. To preserve AI’s archival collections, it is crucial to take extra care of them by ensuring that the right tools, like acid-free materials, are used and safety issues are taken into account.

The Armenian Institute Team thanks you in advance for your continued support and encouragement of this vital work.

IALA Launches $2500 Translation Grant

The International Armenian Literary Alliance’s Translation Grant will award $2,500 to one translator working from Armenian source texts into English. In 2022, the grant will be awarded for any work of prose written in Western Armenian by a female author. Although preference will be given to more recent (post-20th century) works, we welcome works from any time period. The 2022 grant will be judged by Tatevik Ayvazyan, Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian, and Garen Torikian.

Given the traumatic history of the Armenian diaspora, many readers are unable to read works in the original Armenian, and therefore, have centuries of literature inaccessible to them. Translators working with Armenian texts have traditionally lacked resources in the publishing world, as well as access to other funding, due to the overwhelming influence of so-called “majority languages.” IALA’s Translation Grant is meant to foster the development of contemporary Armenian literature in English through a monetary award. 

Additionally, in partnership with the Armenian Institute and Mashtots Press, IALA will support grant recipients in publishing and promoting the selected work. As Western Armenian is on UNESCO’s endangered languages list, we believe that it is imperative to bring more attention to Western Armenian literature. As female authors producing Armenian literature are a minority within a minority, it’s also necessary to highlight the works of these writers.

The application period is from September 1st until September 30th 2022.

New Acquisition: The Full Orer Collection

Today, the Armenian Institute received a very special donation from Hakob and Anna Asatryan, creators of Orer Armenian European Magazine. Thanks to their generous donation, we have become the first Armenian organisation in the UK to hold the full collection of Orer, which has been published in Prague since 1999.

“We donated to the Armenian Institute because AI are one of the famous Armenian spaces in London, and the institute has a library which is very important to us. In our policy we have a programme to donate to all important Armenian libraries worldwide. The British Library is one of our subscribers, who hold all of our issues, but we wanted to have an Armenian space in London where everyone can come and see what we’ve published over the last 23 years.”

Popular issues that have been released include specific research into Armenian Contemporary Art, Armenian Cinema, Armenian Theatre, Independence of Armenia, Karabakh/Artaskh war, Covid, and a special issue with 20 Armenian ambassadors in Europe with interviews about the coronavirus situation in each country.

Upon his first visit to London in 1990, Hakob visited various Armenian organisations and community members, which led to his first article about the Armenian community in England bring written and published in Ask Daily in Armenia. Now, Orer publishes a new magazine every 2-3 months accessible through a subscription.

The project of documenting Armenians across Europe is led by Hakob who has written about 24 European counties, and another 10 on the waiting list. Currently in production is an issue about the Armenians in Ukraine, and other countries such as Cyprus, Britain, Germany, Greece, France, Sweden and Finland are also on the list. This project is supported by the Gulbenkian Foundation.

“Our magazine holds very important information about the Armenian communities in Europe especially, so we’d like to bring this to Armenians in London so they can find out what’s going on in other Armenian communities.”

The Orer website (www.orer.eu) has substantial information about different European Armenian communities (including the Armenian Institute) which is updated daily, connecting community members across the continent. The team are in the process of digitising and uploading all its content in both Armenian and English, but at present their physical magazines are the only way to consume their full anthology.

“For me, the Orer issue focusing on literature about the Artsakh war is the most special, and it was emotional work as I had to read a lot of books from Armenian writers written during the war, including the works of some soldiers. Some of these authors passed away, and we published their work.”

Quotes provided by Hakob Asatryan, Editor-In-Chief.

Creating Diasporic Worlds

CYPRUS HOUSE, 13 St. James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LB

THE GREEN LINE IN LONDON’S GREEN LANES

The Cyprus High Commission in the UK in partnership with the Hellenic Institute, the Centre for Greek Diaspora Studies, and the Centre for the GeoHumanities at Royal Holloway, University of London, and the Fitzwilliam Museum – University of Cambridge, present the exhibition Creating Diasporic Worlds at the Cyprus House, from July 5th - 19th 2022.

Launching on July 5th, the Cyprus High Commission will host an opening evening, with free tickets available here. The exhibition will remain until 19 July, open for visitors during the hours of 10am and 4pm from Monday to Friday through RSVP by emailing info@culturalchc.co.uk

THE GREEN LINE IN LONDON’S GREEN LANES, a short film exploring North London’s Cypriot community created by Olivia Melkonian and Anoushka Berberian, executively produced by Tatevik Ayvazyan and Rebecca Jinks, will premiere exclusively at the exhibition. Through oral histories, soundscapes and VHS footage of Cyprus before and after the divide, the film explores how the Green Line is reflected in London’s diverse, intergenerational Cypriot communities.

Research into intergenerational memory, its refraction through successive traumatic events, and diasporic memory helped us to tease out how (and which) narratives about spatial division, ethnic division, and dislocation are passed through generations, and how the experience of living in or being born into a diaspora can impact nostalgia, memory, and attitudes across generations. 

“We lived in the Old City, and we had a lot of Turkish and Armenian neighbours. All along the street, you would hear Armenian and Turkish; everybody socialised and looked after each other's children. We ran around and played.”

Today, areas such as Wood Green, Turnpike Lane, Enfield and Green Lanes hold much of the Cypriot diaspora - a place where in some ways the communities return to communal living. Community centres, supermarkets, restaurants and bakeries resemble an earlier Cyprus; Turkish and Greek spoken in Cypriot dialects peppers the streets, with shared delicacies from both communities available to buy and share.

“The Green Line in Cyprus divides the island, but the Green Lanes in Haringey join these communities instead of dividing them.”

Our interviews with three generations of Armenian-Cypriot, Greek-Cypriot, and Turkish-Cypriot individuals now living in London explore memories and understandings of Cyprus before and after its spatial division, successive displacements and migrations, and the maintenance of diasporic connections. Ultimately, the film suggests that in London’s Green Lanes, away from the spatial demarcation of the Green Line, ethnicity can matter less than shared, but perhaps unrecognised, connections.

The Green Lines in London's Green Lanes

The Cyprus High Commission in the UK in partnership with the Hellenic Institute, the Centre for Greek Diaspora Studies, and the Centre for the GeoHumanities at Royal Holloway, University of London, and the Fitzwilliam Museum – University of Cambridge, present the exhibition Creating Diasporic Worlds at the Cyprus House, 5- 19 July 2022. The joint Armenian Institute - Royal Holloway University submission has been one of the three winners and commissioned as part of this exhibition.

A short film, titled “The Green Lines in London’s Green Lanes”, created by AI’s own Olivia Melkonian (creative producer and digital strategist) and Anoushka Berberian (graphic designer and video editor) and executive produced by the chair Rebecca Jinks and director Tatevik Ayvazyan explores the Cypriot diaspora in North London.

Is the Green Line replicated in London’s diverse, intergenerational Cypriot communities? Through the medium of film (supported by oral histories and curated and organic soundscapes, overlaid on VHS and modern footage from Cyprus), we explore intergenerational attitudes in London’s Armenian, Turkish, and Greek Cypriot diasporas.

“We lived in the Old City, and we went for walks in the gardens on top of the city walls. We had a lot of Turkish and Armenian neighbours, and all along the street, you would hear Armenian and Turkish; everybody socialised with everybody, looked after each other's children, we ran around and played.”

Home to many of varying religious, linguistic and ethnic backgrounds is a small island in the Eastern Mediterranean sea. Known today as the Republic of Cyprus, the country is divided into two parts. Generations of communal living and engagement on a large scale halted in the twentieth century, as tensions between the two majority communities were forged from foreign interference.

In the late 1960s, Cypriots fleeing unrest from their native island and choosing England as their destination began to congregate in the North of London. By the mid 70s, this community had grown to a point where the council of Haringey was forced to address it. Luckily for some, civil workers had been organising in the years leading up to the divide of Cyprus, and supported the influx of refugees in education, work, housing and social services. 

Today, areas such as Wood Green, Turnpike Lane, Green Lanes and Enfield hold most of the Cypriot diaspora - a place where in some ways the two communities return to communal living. Community centres, supermarkets, restaurants and bakeries resemble early twentieth century and historic Cyprus; Turkish and Greek spoken in Cypriot dialects peppering the streets, with shared delicacies from both communities available to buy and share.

“The Green Line in Cyprus divides the island, but the Green Lanes in Haringey join these communities instead of dividing them.”

We wanted to speak with these communities and gain perspective on the question “How does London’s Green Lanes reflect Cyprus’ Green Line?” Our search narrowed down to three main ethnic groups (Turkish-Cypriots, Greek-Cypriots, and Armenian-Cypriots) and three generations. With many of our own community members coming from Cypriot backgrounds, we could easily secure our Armenian interviewees. Our research began on a whim - a visit to Yaşar Halim bakery and supermarket on Green Lanes and a conversation with the owner led us first to the Turkish Cypriot Community Association just down the road, which became a centre of familiar faces, food and friendliness. Next, we travelled further North to Wood Green, finding the Cypriot Community Centre on Earlham Grove that provided a space to learn, meet elder community members and take in the history of the space, which was founded in 1979. Speaking the minimal Turkish and Greek that I know, my time in North London was a much warmer experience than crossing the Green Line in Nicosia, where my interchanging greetings of “Yassas” and “Merhaba” were surrounded by barbed wire, deserted watchtowers and officials in uniform.

Thus far, this project has been an overwhelming exploration of historic and present communities, neighbours and cultures. Listening to the experiences of people from a diverse range of backgrounds, their memories and definitions of “home” have all echoed a resounding similarity. The divided Cyprus of today is not in the people’s favour. And although North London offers a glimpse of this historic past, the trauma of war and conflict transcends both borders and generations, leaving the unanimous dream of a united Cyprus a distant, but desperate, hope.

ADS is Coming to North America!

The Armenian Diaspora Survey begins in May in the United States and Ontario, Canada

Preparations are underway for the launch of the Armenian Diaspora Survey in North America, which will be carried out this summer.

The Armenian Diaspora Survey (ADS), an initiative of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, is led by a group of scholars and researchers under the auspices of the Armenian Institute in London.

The study provides valuable insights into diaspora public opinion and an important snapshot of people’s thoughts on a host of issues. It offers evidence-based knowledge to the public and valuable data to community leaders, activists and policy makers in particular, giving them a better understanding and analysis of their communities for the development of programmes and projects.

ADS director Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian of Oxford University explained: “In our research we ask the respondents their thoughts and views on identity and related issues of belonging. Other themes include language and culture, church and religion, community engagement, and relations with Armenia.”

Any Armenian, aged 18 and older, living in the United States and Ontario, Canada can take the survey online, starting on May 6th. Printed questionnaires will also be available to those who wish to complete it offline.

ADS started with a pilot study in 2018. So far the survey has been carried out in 10 countries and in over 20 diaspora communities.

“We are pleased this multi-country systematic survey is coming to North America,” said Dr. Razmik Panossian, Director of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Armenian Communities Department. “Given the enormous challenges facing Armenia and Armenians, this research will have tangible policy consequences,” he added.

The results of the 2018 and 2019 studies have been published separately. In addition to English, the 2019 study is also available in Armenian and Spanish. All of the reports could be downloaded for free from ADS website: https://www.armeniandiasporasurvey.com.

Spaces and Places: Film Festival

A season of recently restored classics and award-winning contemporary films from Armenia

 

From 10 May 2022 until 9 June 2022, the Armenian Institute in partnership with, Klassiki, the world’s first streaming platform dedicated to cinema from Ukraine, Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, will host SPACES AND PLACES, an in-cinema and online film season exploring the contested politics of place and Armenian identity. The films in this season all explore the idea of home – whether that be a place, an idea, or something in-between. They speak to the past and present of Armenia, marked so much by displacement and diaspora: ideas that are sadly as relevant now for international audiences as ever before. 

The season will launch with a premiere of Henrik Malyan’s 1969 classic We Are Our Mountains, and is complemented by a month-long programme of online screenings, round table discussions, and director interviews. Curated by the Klassiki team, the Armenian Institute, and the National Cinema Centre of Armenia, the season comprises contemporary award-winning dramas, a series of female-directed shorts, and a newly scored and recently restored silent classic. 

Programme supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London. Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery.

On the importance of bringing this series of films to UK audiences, director of the Armenian Institute and season curator Tatevik Ayvazyan writes: “The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned’’, says Maya Angelou. A sentiment familiar to every Armenian, carrying so many stories of lost and found homes. And in this film festival, we are trying to weave a narrative of how connected our identity is to the places we inhabit, in body or in mind. We are incredibly excited to continue our successful collaboration with Klassiki and bring classic and contemporary films to our audiences.”

PROGRAMME

We Are Our Mountains, Henrik Malyan, 1969.

10 May 2022, Ciné Lumière, London, introduced by Tatevik Ayvazyan.

12 May 2022, Klassiki, online. 

15 May 2022, Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds.

Adapted from the work of beloved Armenian author Hrant Matevosyan, Henrik Malyan’s cult satire and comic pastorale demonstrates that rebellion and discontent in the 1960s was not limited to Russia and its cities, but instead reared their head throughout the Soviet space. A splendid example of the poetry and humour of the Armenian screen tradition, and widely celebrated as the greatest Armenian film ever made. 

Ciné Lumière Tickets: bit.ly/3KdK8UA 

Hyde Park Picture House Tickets: bit.ly/3Kh9qBg 

Should The Wind Drop, Nora Martirosyan, 2020.

19 May 2022, Klassiki, online, introduced by the director.

Selected as Armenia’s entry for Best International Feature at the 94th Academy Awards, this stunning Armenian-French-Belgian drama is a deeply poetic exploration of state borders. Set in the empty airport of Stepanakert in Nagorno Karabakh, a breakaway state in the South Caucasus, a French engineer must decide whether or not to shutter the building and thereby the hopes and dreams of its workers. A moving portrait of what it means to feel displaced within the space you call home.

Storgetnya, Hovig Hagopian, 2020.

16 District, 16 Floors, 16 People, Tatevik Vardanyan, 2018.

Antouni, Alik Tamar, 2017.

26 May 2022, Armenian Institute, London.

A series of critically-acclaimed, female-directed shorts exploring our relationship to the place we call home – from a block of unfinished flats in Yerevan dedicated to the legacy of the USSR, to the enriching air of Armenia’s salt mines.

Bon Voyage, Garegin Papoyan, 2020.

26 May 2022, Klassiki, online, accompanied by an interview with the director and Nora Martirosyan in the Klassiki Journal.

 Garegin Papoyan captures the absurd ironies of a community defined by a frozen military conflict in this wry observational documentary. Fully equipped for accommodating small civilian flights, the recently rebuilt Stepanakert Airport in the break-away Republic of Artsakh does not operate due to the permanent threat of missile strikes. Unwilling to risk any lives, the airport, nevertheless, remains “open”. The dreary ritual of keeping the standby facility operational turns the workers into a closely-knit family unit, where each individual lives out their personal dreams while continuing to hope for the basic freedoms to cross borders and receive guests.

Autumn Sun, Bagrat Oganesyan, 1977.

2 June 2022, Armenian Institute, in-person and Klassiki, online - UK Premiere introduced by Vigen Galstyan of the NCCA and Tatevik Ayvazyan of the Armenian Institute.


The season closes with a thrilling opportunity to introduce UK audiences to the work of Bagrat Oganesyan and his proto-feminist adaptation of one of Armenia’s most famous novellas. Hailing from the same author of We Are Our Mountains, Autumn Sun tells the story of a girl cajoled into marriage with a much older man and her journey to make a meaningful life for herself in a rural village. Shot through with extraordinary cinematography by Gagik Avakyan and Karen Mesyan, and boasting a powerhouse performance by Anida Gukasyan, Autumn Sun is an undiscovered classic of late 70s Armenian cinema.

CONTRIBUTORS

Tatevik Ayvazyan, Director of Armenian Institute

Born in Yerevan, Tatevik has lived in the UK over 20 years, working in filmmaking, screenwriting and programme management. With two post-graduate degrees, Tatevik has a broad education in social sciences, as well as extensive background in Armenian literature and the arts. She is a literary producer and writer, responsible for curating, editing, and translating the Armenian and English poetry in Rebel Republic Film’s multi-award-winning arthouse film, Taniel. Currently, she is adapting Iris Murdoch’s The Italian Girl. 

 

Vigen Galstyan, Director of Film Heritage NCCA

Vigen is an art historian, curator, and lecturer specialising in photography, film, and Armenian art of the modern era. He is the director of the Film Heritage Department at the National Film Centre of Armenia and the Head of Exhibitions at the History Museum of Armenia. Vigen holds an MA in Art Curatorship and completed his PhD dissertation on nineteenth-century Armenian historiographic photography at the University of Sydney. He has curated over twenty exhibitions and authored numerous essays dealing with the history of Armenian art, photography, and design.

 

Justine Waddell, Founder of Klassiki 

Born in Johannesburg, Justine began her career as an actor, appearing in such films as Tarsem’s The Fall and Alexander Zeldovich’s The Target, for which she learnt the Russian language from scratch.  Now a successful producer and screenwriter, Justine launched streaming service Klassiki, in February 2021, enabling UK audiences to access the best of cinema from Ukraine, Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. 

 

Sam Goff, Editorial Director at Klassiki 

Based in London, Sam is a lecturer in Russian and Soviet film at the University of Cambridge and a former editor at The Calvert Journal. He has written on the cinema and culture of the post-socialist world for numerous publications.