Artavazd Peleshyan retrospective  

Inhabitants

Filled with panoramic images of migrations and stampedes as well as animals in captivity, this film depicts for most part wildlife, in panic. “Many people were offended or insulted by “We”. After that experience, I was mad at mankind and decided to make a film about animals. Animals don’t get upset but at the same time, by focusing on them, I could say the same things as I was saying about people.” – Artavazd Peleshyan.

We

“We” shows how the Armenian people withstood calamities and tragedy throughout centuries – the Armenian genocide, occupation. But in a wider view, “We” is a document on everyday heroes and the human ability to survive in spite of all difficulties. “The Armenians are simply an opportunity that allows me to talk about the whole world, about human characteristics, human nature. The Armenian people are a “we” that is just a piece of a larger “We”  – A. Peleshyan.

The Seasons

With the collaboration of Mikhail Vartanov as director of photography, “The Seasons” is an outstanding look at the contradiction and harmony between the humans and nature. In “The Seasons”, for the first time, Artavazd Peleshyan did not use any archival footage. “It is not specifically the seasons of the year or of people: it’s everything. One should not forget that this film’s main ‘heroes’ are not the people, but the seasons and nature. It is not man that imposes himself upon nature, but rather nature that imposes itself upon man. The film is about the interrelationship between man and nature.” – A. Peleshyan.

Artavazd Peleshyan

Born in Giumri 1938 in, Armenia, Artavazd Peleshyan is a director and film theorist. He studied at VGIK, the oldest film school in Moscow. He is renowned for developing a style of cinematographic perspective known as distance montage, combining the perception of depth with oncoming entities, such as running packs of antelopes or hordes of humans. He also uses archive footage alongside his own. His films, mostly black and white shorts without dialogue, are on the border between documentary and fiction. Artavazd Peleshyan is also the author of numerous theoretical works, such as “Moyo kino” (1988). In 2006 he was given “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the Yerevan International Film Festival. In 2015 he won a prize for the contribution to world cinema at the Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival.

Selected Filmography

Life (Kyanq, 1993)
The End (Verj, 1992)
Our Century (Mer Dare, 1983)
The Seasons (Vremena goda, 1975)
Inhabitants (Obitateli, 1970)
We (Menq, 1969)
The Beginning (Skizbe, 1967)
Earth of People (Zemlya lyudey, 1966)