Armenian course in Venezia

Hello!

I'm new here and i'm glad to have met this blog.

I was born in France and live in the city of Lyon. Last year, I spent 3 weeks through Hayastane, including Karabagh. My first trip there was in... 1977 so you guess I saw changes, some good, some bad. However, I felt it was time for me to improve my Armenian, since I lacked some abstract vocabulary to be able to talk about arts or politics.

On Sunday, I will fly to Venezia, in Italy, to attend the 3-week Armenian course provided by the Padus-Araxes association http://www.padus-araxes.com/ (the site is not up to date, though)

In case you are interested, here are already some pieces of info: the price of the course is 650 euros ; the single room in a student residence is 800 euros ; each meal costs 7 euros. The university and the residence are in different districts of the city but they are both located downtown, and can easily be reached by vaporetto.

I'll tell you more when I'm back :-)

Alee tété Duludjan, Alee tété DurruDuuuu…

Did the sun knock my head ? hum maybe. Fortunately swimming pools are open.
July and August are the big holidays period in France : quiet and nearly empty streets (except eternal tourists in Paris), half of the people on holidays. LES GRANDES VACANCES so adored by all children. So except Lebanon’s event’s consequences for some Armenians families or individuals, no big news of the French Armenians. Like the rest of the country, activities will come back in September, the veramood.

I have to fight against eternal Mrs. Lazy and Miss Apathy, joined now with the dzanrutiun of the weather… :o(( but I can at least mention something I forgot the last time I talk about Guédiguian’s last movie “The journey in Armenia” : the music of the film is amongst the numerous successful aspects of it
It was composed and performed specially for the movie by Arto Tunçboyaciyan. YES ! The one of the Armenian Navy Band. What a nice mix it does, is really something to see and hear !
Guédiguian’s instructions were rather original (I think) : not to follow the movie, but to let a certain distance between the music and the story. The common point was of course in the “subject”. Like the movie, the music had to show the roots discovered or rediscovered in their present configuration, that is to say that it had to do permanently a link between authentic ancient sounds, and today’s contemporary world. The goal is to make all this sound strange, as it can sound strange to someone who's discovering... like Anna's character :o)

Ecco ! This is the explanation of the “Alee tété Duludjan, Alee tété DurruDuuuu…” some of the strange lyrics (at least for me) that get stuck in my mind after the last time I went to see the movie, doesn't it sound already nice ? :o)

Summer Break from Blogging- Be Back Soon

I landed back in Boston safe and sound. The Armenia experience was a fantastic one personally and professionally. I am busy at work on YerazArt and Pomegranate stuff in the States and will keep people posted on how those things go. In the meantime, I am going to take my semi-anual hiatus from the cilicia.com blog to try and let some other voices be heard and I when I come back I will try to do the best I can to convey what is going on in "my Armenian world".

Have a great summer and see you soon...

Fresh and New Breath !

The hot weather definitely invaded Fransa in July. Absolutely no complain cause we really missed the sun this year under our latitudes, the only point is when you have to work at this period… working in our offices is tough every day and it’s not our poor 2 ventilo that will refresh our 60m² office full of 9 desks + a welcoming place for public… “the joys” of the job as we use to say in French for describing the negative aspects amongst other.
But, thanks God, we have long evenings and week-ends to do lazyness under sun, re-make the world with friends, enjoy our family’s presence, and… see great shows jumped on our djampas from nowhere.

This is how I get refreshed by an unexpected show I was invited to sunday evening : hip hop dance by a dance troup named “pas de quartier”. Word games which means “no pity” in France, and also refers to taghamaser (quarters?) where we had this year some serious violent movements of the youth, mostly in the suburbs.
Their claims weren’t quite clear, but most of the time it’s an awful dissatisfaction of the situation in which they feel (more or less wrongly or rightly) locked up by society in general, and public authorities in particular. It’s a very large debate here in France, big destination of immigration since more than a century, and whose 20th century is closely linked to this question.
I don’t pretend to have the keys, but the show of yesterday had another speech about that, and it was a positive glimpse on this youth who demonstrate, very coherently through a story of their multi-ethnic origins, its capacity to make their own special place here, towards and all counters, specific and original.

A rage in the belly for achieving what they want to be, and not what they are supposed to be according to general prejudices.
So in this case it was dance - hip-hop - integrating and mixing contributions of African countries (where their parents or greatparents come from mostly) AND France… can you imagine harpsichord, violoncello and soprano giving the tone for a hip-hop dance ? This is the most surprising scene we were given, and why not ? as long as it works !
Stay cool there also were usually known hip-hop : pure energy under control, which thrilled us and made us scream many WOOOOO !
A great demonstration so, all the most if you consider that it was given in the little center of Paris, in the garden of National Archives... Yes, I really must be in love with mixes ! :o)

Excellent for me personally, as I was beginning to be afraid of being interested only in “Armenianity (I always suspected obsessions...) Now I’m more hankisd : remembering that I’m in France which would hopefully mishd offers subjects of stimulations… if only ready to get out of the “ostrich’s hole” :o)

ciao !

Hayastan eem seeroon Hayasdan..........

it's about quarter to noon right now...i gotta be at the airport in about 3 hours...off to the hayrenik......LATERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.........

The following day’s blues…

Let me introduce a football touch here, I’m not a football fan but the World Cup woke up my Frenchy football sides … Indeed, the rising fever of joy these last weeks gained the majority of the population, and we saw again crazyness in streets and all cafés of France… Many opinions expressed but all were good surprised by our new-old French team. As Aymé Jacquet in 1998, nobody trusted the choices of Raymond Domenech, but both of them actually did it : France was of the Final match in 1998 as well as this year. Personally I didn’t follow all the competition, but was very impressed by their performance against Brasil : the brasilians seemed completely erased by French. And still much respect for the defensor Lilian Thuram, great mind this one, and let’s forget Zidane’s so unexplainable misdemeanour…
So, unlike 1998 that crowned us, Sunday’s final match against Italy let us dull : our French team (les bleus – or les vieux as some says) aren’t World Champion once again, we were so close though… The defeat on penalty is so unfair ! :o(
Let me think… the French team of 1998 had 2 Armenian players Djorkaeff and Boghossian. And what about this year ? No Armenian… Naaaa, Just my Armenian football side waking up ! ;o)

Anyway, as promised I saw Guediguian’s new movie on Armenia, twice, and am about to go back again in cinema … I guess I cannot be objective about it, since I simply loved to see Armenia again and so many things that remind me what I met there.
The story : a woman (married, with a daughter), who have to go in Armenia, looking for her father who disappear as she was about to announce him that he had to undergo a surgical heart operation (she’s cardiologist). Her father is Armenian, but it means nothing for her, she was raised as a boy by her father and made a point to live all her life by successes only due to her own efforts. And she “succeeded” : strong woman, no doubt about anything, rather angry against her father. She lands in Armenia that she first doesn’t even care about, and then little and big stories happens… but you’ll guess the general idea of the suite, it’s simply not always possible to stay indifferent with the roots !

Basic story but I get very touched by this film and want to see it again. Fortunately I’ve also heard other opinions that are confirming the value of the movie, a real good work, simple and true. For sure the movie is rather faithful and complete about the reality of the country. No compromise, we saw all sides, good as bad ones. The french people who talked about it to me really found it very nice too, one of them simply would have liked to see more landscapes of Armenia. I can’t blame her but many other true beautiful things were available…

As someone commented the last time, Guediguian always works with the same actors, like his wife Ariane Ascaride who won a French cinema price (César of the best actress) in 1998 for her role in Guediguian’s “Marius et Jeannette”, and who plays the doctor-daughter. Really interesting to notice that she, who is not Armenian, is the real origin of this film’s creation, about Armenia. Abris Digin Ariane ! And here is a special note for another one of these Guédiguian’s usual team, Gerard Meylan : really amazing to see how a French can learn and speak oriental Armenian, but it somehow scratched me to see how he played when he spoke Armenian, nearly caricatural…But I would say that the explanation is simply that he was playing an Armenian of Marseille… marsilliatsiner@ are well known for their very lively and singing accent ! ;o) Apart from that, I still adore Simon Abkarian, gadarial actor in my opinion, a boss.

Ciao !

Yummy Pastries

So I've been in Yerevan for 2 weeks now... (sorry I didn't blog earlier). I've rented an apartment near Cascade, and I absolutely love it! This year, I didn't bother any of my friends with trying to find me an apartment, and I did everything through www.menuatours.com. They were great! They even came and picked me up from the airport for free...

Since I've been here, I've attended my friends' Tanya's and Hratch's wedding, hung out with the other bloggers, caught up with some old friends, and most importantly yesterday I made dolma/sarma with the fresh grape leaves from my balcony! (haha)

(Ok, Alex - here goes the pastry shop review).... I went to the Papaya pastry shop yesterday, and was surprised to find that the sign says, "Papaya, since 1984" .. I thought to myself, hmmmmm really?????? Perhaps I will ask next time. We got a few different types of pastries, and I have to say that they were all VERRRRRYYYY good! They have beautiful cakes, I mean, the kind you see them making on food network, with the beautiful decorations (not those cheesy huge whip cream toppings with roses, etc). Anyway, if you happen to be in town, check it out.... it's at Baghramyan between Moscovian and Isahakian (right next to Pioneer).

Oh ya, we also held an "unsuccessful" blogger reunion.... but it's ok, because we all had a million "fresh-s" and great fries at Meghedi.... We will try it again once a few people arrive this week.

That's all for now...
TSUH! :)~

New Iakovos Kolanian CD Released

After one year of development, the new guitar classic by Iakovos Kolanian is now available release on Pomegranate Music. "Bohemio: Guitar Masterworks of Agustin Barrios" can be purchased and listened to here. . Produced by Kevork Imirzian, this was the project I flew to Greece for in February of his past year. I blogged plenty about my experiences there. The great news is that Iakovos will be performing in Yerevan on October 5 at the Komitas Chamber Music Hall on Isahakyan Street. Concerts in Stepanakert, NKR and Gyrumri are also being planned by my local representative in Yerevan, Arman Padaryan. We plan on touring Washington, DC, NYC, and Boston. For a complete electronic press kit on Iakovos Kolanian, please go to www.sonicbids.com/iakovoskolanian. His touring program will include works by Komitas, Barrios, and Mikis Theodorakis.

Up and Down and All Around

Today, I attended a matinee show of Boston's Sayat Nova Dance Company at the Baronian Theater right next to Hotel Armenia. It started at 12:15pm and ended at 3pm with its target audience made up of almost all locals and mostly children and their parents. Coming in to the show, I kept thinking back to almost 15 years ago when I was almost roped into dancing with them by my close friends Aram and Josh. Many have come and gone in the 20 year old organization. I have seen a few of their shows in Boston and would have classified them under the label of an amatuer over-acheieving community group that represents the Armenian Diaspora proudly to all audiences outside the homeland. However, today was another story.

Backed by a robust 14 member Armenian Folk Orchestra and a Master of Ceremonies that would rival the smoothest voice you've ever heard reciting poetry and the credits, Sayat Nova Dance Company from Boston performed a emotional and rivieting almost three hour set today that had the local crowd cheering in the rafters and up on their feet screaming when the final number concluded. For this self professed cultural snob, I must say that I was stunned. This was once of those performances where you knew exactly what you going to get, and still the whole production got you right in the heart. Like a formulaic movie that succeeds, Sayat Nova Dance Company was disciplined, dedicated and fearless in their performance. The locals were also visibly moved.

Tomorrow, on July 7, 2006, Sayat Nova Dance Company will conclude their Armenia tour at the Opera House at 7:30pm. Tickets are about $2. If you can get one and are in Yerevan, I highly recommend seeing the "Armenian Riverdance". As my colleage and friend Arman Padaryan mentioned, "they are the best amatuer ensemble I've have ever seen". Indeed, this dedicated bunch paid their own way to get here, performed for the Armenian soldiers in a private concert in Yerevan, went to Karabagh and strutted their stuff, moved on to Goris for a show, and also had two performances in one day in Gyumri. Their show today was for locals with free tickets having been distributed citywide. Tomorrow's show will be sponsored by VEM Radio, YerazArt, and Armenia 2020. While the dancers of Sayat Nova are not paid professionals dedicating their normal working hours day in and day out for pay back in Boston, they are the next best thing. Apo Ashjian, the brainchild and heart and soul of Sayat Nova Dance Company proudly made his way to the stage at the end and stated his message loud and clear, "we are one nation, and one people regardless of where we live." For the first time during my stay in Armenia, I have seen the true soul of the Armenian spirit when the crowd and performers interacted together in an unforgettable experience.

More Yerevan Oddities:

1. Stray cats scrounging for food.
2. Cab rides around Yerevan for less than $2
3. 90% of record store merchandise being illegally produced and sold
4. Average salary for a tour guide working 7 days a week being $150 a month.
5. Kids with cell phones
6. 15 story apartment buildings being constructed
7. Russian Music Videos
8. Varied color shirts on men other than black
9. Women wearing formal dresses on 100 degree days in the middle of the day
10. Loud talking during concerts by locals

Emotionality: A made up word. I have been in Yerevan since June 10. My wife accompanied me until June 20th when she had to return back to Boston for work. I have stay to work on YerazArt since then and will return to Boston on July 11. Thus far, my trip has been very positive. However, the emotional rollercoaster of Armenia takes its toll on my some days. Being an emotional sort, I can't help feel very proud of my Armenian background and heritage. Indeed, I am having a grand time here overall. However, there are days when I simply cannot stand it here. At least in Yerevan. I am told by those who live here that this is normal. On one hand, Yerevan has virtually everything you could ever want. Cafe's, restaurants, internet access, cars, etc. You name it, it has it for the most part. Still, I feel uncomfortable hearing first hand accounts of corruption here. There is a huge bribery issue here in almost every area of life. Also, the common citizen here earns very little with prices going up daily and the value of the dollar dropping. For excellent coverage of daily life and politics from a controversial, yet, uncompromising angle, I highly recommend Onnik Krikorian's blog OneWorld.am. It can be accessed here. I have spent some time with Onnik here in Yerevan and have become a fan of his work.

I was taken out to dinner by the family of one of my YerazArt kids the other day. The kid, his mother, aunt, and sister took me to Urartu on Proshian Street. The father works in Russia 6 months out of the year to support the family. They live all together in a modest and dingy apartment in the Zeitun district of town. Since YerazArt had funded our young performer to come to the States and gave their family a large honorarium for the tour, it was the families turn to take me out. I felt very uncomfortable knowing that they were about to spend $60 on the night, however, the one thing you do not dare do here is offer to pay or even pay covertly for a meal if they have decided to take you out to eat. True to form, the family spent lavishly on a very pricy meal. Here, meals are not just meals, they are an experience that lasts for about 4 to 5 hours. First, the drinks, then the food, then the dancing, then the more dancing, after comes the ice cream, then the coffee, and finally a meeting with the band. Haroutyun, who is 15 years old and the prized student of duduk legend Gevork Dabaghian was taking this all in stride. He was invited on stage to perform a few numbers whil the crowd was captivated.

During the course of dinner, the mother cooly told me how much it costs to put Harout through to the Komitas Conservatory once he hits 16 or 17. It roughly costs $1000 a year. If the money isn't raise, Harout will not be able to go to school and would have to work as a restaurant musician for the foreseeable future. I pledged the first year of Harout's tuition to his mother and in turn, I was informed that when Harout gets married, I will be his Gavar (best man, mentor in life).

There is a certain amount of theatrics that goes on in this part of the world when it comes to these relationships after meeting a family once. There is no doubt that seeking an outside source to latch onto is a tactic. However, call me naive, but, sometimes you feel the responsibility to support our talented youth and these one on one connections can be haunting, yet promising.

One person at a time.

The Backroom Deal

Yesterday I met with journalist Onnik Krikorian to discuss our upcoming collaboration with a YerazArt project. After our meeting, we decided to head over to the "Armenian Music Center" on Amiryan St. Our visit there was spontaneous after a discussion of the music industry in Armenia. A somewhat hard to find store on a prime city street, once we headed downstairs and entered into the lobby of the store the effect was somewhat underwhelming. Not too many CD's for sale, and a seperate area for internet usage open to the public.

While I am here on business working for YerazArt, my interest in the Armenian music market in Armenia still remains high. Specifically, there are issues of illegal copying of CD's, price points for CD's being sold here, and production values. I was tipped off to the Armenian Music Center based on my conversation with the lead singer of LAV ELI, Mher Manoukyan, who pointed on that this store/record label/distributor was actually doing CD printing the right way. Indeed, I had popped into the shop a few days earlier to purchase their own production of the new Alla Levonyan CD, "Maral" for 3000 Drams (about $8). The packaging was simple and elegant. No booket, only a one panel digipak design. The CD looked legit.

It was my intention to offer our Pomegranate products to this company for an elegant and cost effective local printing so Armenians in Hayastan can enjoy our music, instead of buying illegal copies at the Vernisage for $4 or originals for $20 at high end stores. When I asked to see the owner of Armenian Music Center, I was greeted by a very nice woman who informed me that the owner was ready to see me. I asked Onnik to join me to see how this whole negotiation unfolds.

As I walked into the backroom of the store, it was almost a scene from Central Casting. A fairly robust man with a beard smoking a cigarette was behind the desk with two guests seated in front of him. Ironically, one of the guests sitting down were a potential artist I am thinking of signing. However, shifting gears, the owner and I engaged in a 15 minute negotiation process in both Armenian and English that didn't eventually lead anywhere. Yet, for me, the fascinating thing was that there is a small, but growing local respect for homegrown artists and their CD's. In the case of Alla Levonyan, she enters into a contract with Armenian Music Center and gets a cut of every album sold. The retail price is between $8- $10 depending on which store you go to. Armenian Music Center produces the CD's locally and as far as I've seen, no copies are made of their product here in Armenia. Thus, in a way, the artists are protected.

The introduction of mid priced items for the local market is a great sign for Armenia. Unfortunately, artists that do not reside in Armenia will be pirated. However, Armenian Music Center has a distinct brand with their hologram logo, Digipak design, and overall consistent look sold at a nice price that keep the pirates away.

While we were not able to agree on a deal on our initial visit, I will return and check his pulse again and see if a local printing can yet be done through his company at the right price. If not, of course, there are other options.

4 days before takeoff!

Parev sireliner,

The Montrealahayootyoon has been quite busy these past couple of weeks.
The A.G.B.U. Scouts held their (or should I say our) 7th annual summer camp at Camp Tamaracouta. What a success story this movement has been, and what tremendous pride it is for me to be a part of it. We started the movement in 1999 with about 10 kids, and just as many leaders (I was one of the ten kids), and are now at well over 150 members (I'm now part of the leaders). Our cub scouts alone are now at over 50 kids. All great kids, and a tremendous group of leaders. The camping was once again a complete success, and even the tent cleaning day that followed it was a blast.

Adgé zad, Garni barakhump (another great organization I'm proud to be a member of) participated in an international dance show at the Place des Arts (nicest hall in Montreal). We danced the Sabre Dance, a folk dance from Vaspouragan (my favourite), a lyrical dance called Gakhartvadz (about enchanted flowers and infatuated princes) and the ever-famous Kochari. All in all, another great success, especially as we were lucky enough to have the finale. We had participated in the same event last year, and the overall quality had improved. The Columbians and Russians were particularly impressive.

Tekeyan mshagootayin Miootyoon had brought in the Malatya dance ensemble from Armenia. I couldn't see them perform as we were up camping. I heard mixed reviews about them, which is too bad.

Sourp Kevork church in Laval has their summer kermesse going on over this weekend, with Andy on Friday, Sako and Joseph Krikorian on Saturday and Armenchik tonight. I must confess that I'm not fond of any of these singers, but I did go last night, and Sako was able to keep the kef going. While I knew that there would be heghapokhagan/goosagtsagan songs in the end, I found it a shame that they just cut the kef short, to sing songs that were at times more reminiscent of an arabic "yeleli yelel" song than anything else. Everything has its place, I think, and I hardly see where that fit in, especially as most people just left. Perhaps we should re-evaluate when and where to sing our azkayin heghapokhagan songs, to preserve their quality and status too.

Bon, I'd love to shadakhosel some more, but I am off to meet some of my friends.
The AGBU Armenia 2006 team is leaving Montreal for Yerevan on July 6th, and nobody could be any more excited. I'll try to get in one more blog from Montreal before departure.

Pari getsek,
Vrouyr

The World Keeps Getting Smaller

Today, I had a chance to take a trip with the two co-founders of the organization I represent in YerazArt and their friends and family during the day. We went to Dilijian, Tsakhkazor, and finally Lake Sevan. We ran into the entire Sayat Nova Dance Troupe at Lake Sevan as they just returned from a rousing show in Karabagh and Goris. Once I headed home, I received a call from Raffi Kojian asking me to stop by a party at the home of Edele Hovnanian near the Hrazdan Dzor. There were a ton of people there and plenty of folks I had not seen in a while. To borrow and line from my friend Arsineh Khachikian, "the surreal moment of the day" happened to be when I met with Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Raffi Hovhanissian and recounted how he can been a Camp Councilor at AYF Camp Big Pines in California while I was a camper there 22 years ago. As I finished my conversation with him, I turned around and saw his brother Garo, who I hadn't seen in over 2 decades as well and we caught up on life and marveled at the fact that we were meeting in Yerevan years later. I accepted his invitation to join his family at the Christening of their child later this week.

The day before was even more surreal in that I was introduced to Ara Barsam, whom I had not seen in 23 years since we last met at Camp St. Gregory, the Mkhitarist Camp on Cape Cod run by Father Luke Arakelian. Ara now lives in Yerevan with his wife and our meeting was beyond cooincidental.

This sort of thing has been happening to me in Yerevan since I arrived with my wife on June 10. Perhaps not as dramatic or far feteched as these two examples, however, it proves a personal point with regards to the Diaspora. In both cases, there were people I befriended at a Diasporan fueled Armenian camp with the main purpose to preserve our Armenian identity. At the time during the early to mid 1980's, those in Armenian camps strove to be surrounded by other Armenian Diasporans. The thought or concept of having Armenia open up and "free" was just a dream at the time. Indeed, the fact that I have ran into, and caught up with both Garo Hovhanissian and Ara Barsam after all these years in Armenia seems only fitting, if not completely random.

However, my point is that after years of "staying in the game" of keeping our Armenian identity outside of the Homeland, there was something inside each of us that drew us back to Armenia herself. And, the more I bump into people on the streets of Yerevan from years ago and at social functions, the more the jigsaw puzzle of the Diasporan world becomes more complete.

There is no doubt that for as many Hayastansis here in Armenia that understand the Diasporan experience, there are just as many that do not. In some cases, there is outright resentment toward us. However, it's at least nice to know that the old Diasporan institutions such as summer camps and youth groups did make an impact that many of us years later can now fully appreciate through the company our old friends.

I was profoundly moved this weekend.

2006 – Official Year of Armenia in France

Forgot to talk about it before but it's still time to mention that special aspect of France : it will officially begin in September 2006 for ending in july 2007. Last year it was the official year of Brésil, what a succession !
The event is titled “Arménie, mon amie” (Armenia, my friend)
http://www.ec-lapierre-evry.ac-versailles.fr/IMG/pdf/armenie.pdf
http://www.armeniainfo.am/news/view.php?news_id=250
So it’ll begin this autumn, but that perspective has already inspired the lightening of much various events related to Armenia and its culture.

Concretely it’s an accentuated collaboration between the 2 republics - Armenia and France; it will involve their public or private cultural big institutions (museums, theatres, concert hall…), for organising demonstrations (cultural ones most of the time : shows, expositions, conferences) in order to promote a better mutual knowledge of the two countries.
For example, a taxi driver of Erevan informed me last week (when I was there), that a hundred of Armenian french-speaking children coming from of all parts of Armenia, Karabagh included, would go in France for nearly a month in September. The 13 years old boy of the taxi had been chosen and the proud father was wondering whether the children would be placed in French or Armenian-french families… still don’t know the answer sorry ! Many things organised, so I can’t be exhaustive but I can mention a great exposition of The Louvres museum on the subject of “Armenia : Rocks, Letters and Crosses”, or another exposition of Madenataran’s collection to be done here (I just still don’t know where). Many other initiatives are also encouraged by this Year of Armenia so that local authorities could more get associated to the actions of hay associations, of course it’ll have its impact in all cities where Armenians live in mass.
For those who are in Armenia in September, I didn’t get more concrete info, but theorically a concert of Charles Aznavour is to take place in Erevan, Republic hrabarag, the 21th of September 2006, so stay aware !

Apart from that, this week the movie of the French film-maker Robert Guédigian was launched on screens “le voyage en Arménie” (the journey in Armenia) http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=108910.html .
Robert Guédiguian is very well known here, and much appreciated, he has done some very touching movies in and about the town of Marseille where he comes from. I haven’t seen all his works, but most of the time, I liked his movies full of kind or more hard (realism) human touch.
His films are not particularly linked to Armenians : the last one he did, of 2005, was about the last months of Mitterand, the previous President of France who died few months after the election of the actual President Chirac (film’s title is “le promeneur du champ de mars” aysinkn the walker of the champ de mars, it’s a big parc in Paris).
But, as you can imagine, an Armenian character would often be around, and more often if his story takes place in Marseille, his beloved city of the south.
So this last movie of him (the journey in Armenia) is the first entirely about Armenians. Beyond the subject and the fact that I very much like some great actors (Simon Abkarian, Jean-Pierre Daroussin), it is highly attractive for me as I’ve just ended my first trip in Armenia last sunday… (snif!) The coming back in France was rather sad, so I’d probably go to see the movie very very soon… (in fact this evening ! hehe) and log more about it next time :o)

See you !