TRF Ararat ENPRO

Genre: Documentary
Format: PAL / SECAM, DV-Cam, DV-Avi
Runtime: 26:08 min
Languages: RU (orig.), EN
Trailers: 1:51 (Music), 3:40 (EN)

Topic: Ararat, the sacred mountain for any Armenian in any part of the world, was the constant reference in the Armenian history of the last 17 centuries of Christian faith, full of battles and sufferings in the name of faith. Different testimonies give us a vivid image of Armenia, up to the celebration in Yerevan with the participation of Pope John Paul II.

Plot: The marvelous landscape of Armenia is the stage of this cultural oriented documentary. Mount Ararat, the place where following the biblical tradition Noah landed after the flood, inspires to the present day many of the great monotheistic religions. Reflections about Armenian historical events and historical data are intertwined with pictures out of the daily life of Armenian people. The film tells about the origins of Armenia and the Armenian Language, Hayestan, the millenia old need of Armenia's Christianity to defend itself from external forces, the more than 1700 years long story of Armenian Christianity, the helenistic and Roman influence of the countries architecture and way of thinking, the importance of St. Gregory the Illuminator for the Armenian Church and the modern problems Armenia has to face in regard to Christianity. Many interviews with important Armenian scientists, with common people, and an exlusive interview with the Catholicos of all Armenians, Garegin II, round up the picture the author wants to draw from Armenia. The meeting of the leaders of the Armenian Church with the Orthodox and Catholic leaders constitute another important chapter of the film. The movie gives a global picture of this suffered reality which is relatively unkown to Western people.

Artistic Considerations: Pictures of Armenian paintings blended over with actual landscape shootings transmit in balanced fashion the historic and modern live in Armenia to the spectator. Original Armenian ethnic music helps also to identify with the problematic and reality of modern Armenia which tries to preserve the cultural heritage and transmit it to the young people of today.