  5th Golden Apricot Film Festival kicked off in Yerevan July 13July 14, 2008 - 19:15 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Honorable guests and participants, accompanied with journalists and photographers, walked through the red carpet to the Red Hall of Moscow Cinema to open the 5th Golden Apricot Film Festival on July 13. This year is an anniversary for the Golden Apricot. 5 years ago it was founded by 3 originators; film-director, now general director of the festival- Harutyun Khachatryan, film-critic, now the art director - Susanna Harutyunyan and film-critic, festival's program director - Michayel Stamboltsyan. 166 films from 65 countries will be screened. July 14 will be the day of French films; July 16 will be dedicated to Dutch films. The festival's opening ceremony started with the shots that presented chronicles of the route that Golden Apricot has passed. Singer and song-writer: Rouben Hakhverdyan greeted the Golden Apricot with his well known song "This is Yerevan". Ralf Yirikyan, the executive director of VivaCell, in addition general sponsor of Golden Apricot also welcomed the festival. The festival's general director - Harutyun Khachatryan mentioned that it's the first time in the history of Armenia that a prize is given to a sponsor: "Mantashyan Knight Prize" was given to VivaCell's general director. Harutjun Xachatryan gave "The tallers of Parajanov" to the prominent Iranian film-director and festival's head of jury Dariush Mehrjui. With a minute of silence the hall respected the memory of the famous film-director Michelangelo Antonioni. Furthermore, Wim Wenders, the honourable guest of the festival, awarded posthumous prize to Michelangelo Antonioni. The prize was accepted by the widow of Antonioni, Enrica Antonioni. Russian film-maker Vladimir Mashkov and оur compatriot film-maker Roman Balayan also gave speeches. Roman Balayan greeted all the guests, mentioning that realizing this kind of a festival is a great courage. After Roman Balayan's speech, his film "Birds of Paradise" was screened. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan and other high-level guests attended the ceremony, gaiff.am reports.   Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with Stephan Schütz, Executive Partner at Gerkan, Marg and Partners. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said.   Partner news |  Related sections Latest news Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day  May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865.Armenian, Azerbaijani heads of parliament meet in Switzerland President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova.Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months.Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |
