Hayk Film Studio Visits US to Make Film on Armenian Carpets

A second important function of the studio is to document interesting events taking place every year in Armenia for archival purposes. The studio attempts to cover all important events, whether in the villages or in the cities of Armenia. Whatever is known in advance is filmed, and what cannot be immediately filmed is somehow covered afterwards through interviews. Though the studio is funded by the government, it has the freedom to film all types of events, including protests against the government and opposition movement activities, if they are significant.

The archives of the studio from the early period of Soviet Armenia are kept in Russia, so every year a trip is taken to the Russian archive by the studio director and others to choose portions for digitalization. These materials are then added to the Yerevan archive.

While the documentaries are usually produced in Armenian, some have subtitles in English, and occasionally dubbing into English and other languages may be arranged, though this is more expensive.

The film on Armenian rugs was begun two years ago. The basis of the film is a book by rug specialist Volkmar Ganzhorn, whose book was translated into Armenian several years ago. Last year he and his wife came to Armenia and were interviewed at the Megerian Carpet Factory in Yerevan. He pointed out that the carpet and the culture formed around it composed a part of the Armenian identity.

The Hayk Studio team has already interviewed other non-Armenian rug specialists, such as the editor of Hali magazine, and have filmed in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, what is called the world’s oldest known pile rug, the Pazyrik. In Europe other interviews of specialists and carpets have taken place.

In Boston, the team was hosted by Jack and Eva Medzorian, and director Harutyunyan pointed out how inspirational it was to be with dedicated Armenians like the Medzorians in the diaspora.