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21st International Film Festival “Golden Apricot” kicks off in Yerevan
For this year’s festival Yerevan hosts world-famous cinema personalities: one of the greatest actors of all times Kevin Spacey, the awardee of two “Oscars” movie director Alexander Payne, eminent movie directors Tarsem Singh and Atom Egoyan. The 21st “Golden Apricot” will involve films from the most prestigious festivals – Cannes, Berlin and others.
It is the third year that Yerevan Municipality has been the general sponsor of the festival. At the solemn opening ceremony Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan congratulated and thanked all those people who had put all effort and enthusiasm to make the “Golden Apricot” succeed.
“Yerevan festivals fill the city with life and colours. The “Golden Apricot” is one of the most expected, most popular and flamboyant ones, and this is the 21st time that we have come together on sunny July days to celebrate cinema. The “Golden Apricot” really makes the mood of the city. These days Yerevan is hosting honorary guests representing the world of cinema: film director Alexander Payne who has two Academy awards, Parajnov’s ambassador throughout the world Tarsem Singh, our ambassador in the world of movie Atom Egoyan, the world-famous actor who has two “Oscars”, one of the most talented actors of our days Kevin Spacey. Last year, standing on this very stage, I marked that the municipality would be more active in the sphere of movie production, and the first program we had fulfilled was the miscellany of five short-length films about Yerevan, about love for Yerevan and for one another. Our effort in this regard will be continued. We are happy indeed to be next to the “Golden Apricot” for the third year running. I believe that the “Golden Apricot” makes Yerevan more beautiful”, stressed the Mayor.
“The Golden Apricot” is held with the support of the RA Ministry of ESCS. Minister Zhanna Andreasyan outlined that legislative changes made in the sphere of film production will bring a new quality and a new say to cinema art.
The 21st “Golden Apricot” has kicked off with Atom Egoyan’s “Seven Veils” film which is a re-thinking of the mesmerizing and vivid opera “Salome” by Richard Strauss.
For their contribution to the movie art Kevin Spacey and Atom Egoyan were awarded with Parajanov’s Thaler. The “Golden Apricot” will make a special reference to the 100th anniversary of the greatest Armenians – Charles Aznavour and Sergey Parajanov.
