Atom Egoyan Receives Chlotrudis Hall of Fame Award

Interspersed throughout the program was the awarding of Trudy awards given in numerous categories including Best Actress (to Tracy Wright for “Trigger”), Best Actor (Michael Shannon for “Take Shelter”) and Best Movie (“The Artist”). Membership votes determine the winners of each year’s awards.

In acknowledging the talents of honoree Egoyan, the program booklet stated, “Atom Egoyan has been exploring the hows and whys of truth, identity, memory, fidelity and loss, through the medium of film for over three decades. After garnering several Chlotrudis nominations, including a Best Movie and Best Director nod for ‘The Sweet Hereafter”’ in 1998, Atom was honored with a special directing award by the society. Often heralded for his unique visual style, his later films, ‘Where the Truth Lies’ and ‘Chloe,’ have received Chlotrudis nods for Best Visual Design and Best Cinematography respectively. Atom’s films tackle difficult subjects, and ‘Ararat,’ one his most epic films, showed up on several Chlotrudis members’ top films of the year lists for 2002.”

In presenting the award and introducing Egoyan as a favorite filmmaker, Colford discussed the filmmaker’s achievements, creative filmmaking and themes of heritage, family and storytelling experienced in his films. “Ararat” is “both epic and intimate at the same time,” and “Chloe” had “astonishing visual style,” he declared. A short clip from “The Sweet Hereafter” was viewed and shortly after an excited Egoyan jumped onto the stage to receive his Trudy award. In accepting his award, a bubbling Egoyan said, “this award feels true…” He also expressed appreciation to the tribute made to Canadian filmmakers and their creative community.

Changes in technology for filmmaking, including financial costs, have evolved over the years, and he said, “You can (now) make a beautiful work for nothing.” He praised the Chlotrudis Society, “You have an incredible job…to discern and select films” among so many films made nowadays. After holding his Trudy award high in the air, he sweetly tapped another Trudy Award placed on the podium to announce, “It’ll be beside Arsinée’s,” back home in Toronto.

In 2002, Khanjian was awarded a special Chlotrudis award for her “fascinating career” and with this Cambridge appearance, she is the first Chlotrudis honoree to make a return visit. Khanjian has appeared in dozens of film and television appearances, beginning with Egoyan’s first film, “Next of Kin” and notably as Ani in “Ararat.” During the ceremony, Khanjian presented the Cat’s Meow Award to the Independent Film Festival of Boston; it was accepted by Adam Roffman, Nancy Campbell and Brian Tamm. Khanjian said this festival “rose like Athena” and noted the long line that reaches through Seven Hills Park as guests wait to enter the Somerville Theatre.

After the program, admirers, including some Armenians, gathered around to offer congratulations. “You are lucky to live here,” Egoyan shared, and noted that he wants to come back to visit the Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) and Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives in Watertown.