20 Armenian Films from the Soviet Era that Should be On Your Must-Watch List
Հարսնացուն Հյուսիսից (A Bride from the North), 1975
Based on the complexities of an Armenian guy marrying a Russian girl, filled with Arno Babajanyan’s wonderfully crafted music throughout the film and the very culture specific humor performed by legendary actors such as Armen Jigarkhanyan portrayed unforgettably eccentric characters, this film is a classic that you will never get tired of watching.
Մենք ենք, մեր սարերը (We and Our Mountains), 1969
This film depicts the simplicity and honesty of country people and country life when a sheep is butchered without telling the owner and paid for once the owner is revealed. The plot revolves around the conflict, not between the two people but between them and the police that get involved.
Կտոր մը երկինք (A Piece of the Sky), 1980
Touching upon uncomfortable social subjects for its time, the film illustrates elite culture in Armenia in the beginning of 20th century. An adopted kid who is having trouble getting married, a life stepping stone that’s a big deal in the culture, ultimately marries a prostitute who is also unaccepted by that society through his mother’s help, who is proud of the accomplishment.
Նվագախմբի տղաները (Guys from the Army Band), 1960
This comedy takes us through the adventures of WWI Armenia’s Dashnak army’s band members and how they take the revolution’s side and the troubles they get into with a cast including Frunzik Mkrtchyan and Kim Yeritsyan.
Եռանկյունի (Triangle), 1967
This touching story is narrated by a child who describes his everyday mundane life that is centered around a blacksmith’s workshop shaped like a triangle where he hangs out and the adult characters that care about him and shape his character.
Նռան գույնը (The Color of Pomegranates), 1969
Based on the life of the poet Sayat-Nova, this visual cinema is well known outside of the culture as it’s been broken down and analyzed by different experts. The film has almost no dialogue and depends on its masterful visual imagery with meticulously strategized colors and title cards as indication of its meaning.
Հին Օրերի Երգը (The Song of the Old Days), 1982
The soundtrack composed by Tigran Mansuryan, the film takes place during WWII in the city of Gyumri, formerly known as Leninakan as it deals with harrowing loss and an overwhelming lack of hope as the growing list of “black envelopes” keep coming to inform the death of soldiers who are the sons of the townspeople keeps piling up. Meanwhile a group of them we get to know try to desperately run the theater unsuccessfully. The irony is that the play is “Qaj Nazar” (Courageous Nazar), an old Armenian folk story serving as the juxtaposition to Hitler.
Մեր մանկության տանգոն (The Tango of Our Childhood), 1985
A beautifully tragic and comedically chaotic turn of events that happen in the film illustrate an Armenian mother’s strength, pride and dedication to her family and kids, played by Galya Novents and Mher Mkrtchyan in the husband’s role who leaves her to be with her friend who saved his life in WWI with Azat Gasparyan in the supporting role as the neighbor police officer. Both the screenplay by Mher Mkrtchyan’s brother, Albert Mkrtchyan and the performances brilliantly sum up the simple essence of the culture and the deep rooted moral ground of the characters.
01-99, 1959
A comedy about a guy carrying a barrel of wine to the city, getting drunk and being mistaken for having been hit by a car when he repeats a phone number, 01-99 that’s thought to be a car’s license plate, after which trouble ensues that involves law enforcement and mistaken identities.
Բարև, Ես եմ (Hello, it’s me!), 1966
With little dialogue and a narration to carry it through, the film shows a physicist’s (Armen Jigarkhanyan) life during war as he deals with friendship, love and his life’s work, initially setting up a lab in the mountains for astronomical research then after many years deciding to switch to making a speedometer for measuring radio waves or beams from radiation. The voiceover addresses his constant questioning of what is the right thing to do both in his personal and professional life.
Gikor, 1982
Based on a tale by Hovhanes Tumanyan, Gikor’s dad takes him to the city in hopes to set him up for a better life, get an education and work as a servant at a rich man’s house who treats him badly with no food or pay until he’s worn out completely.
Khatabala, 1971
It takes place in late 19th century Tbilisi, formerly known as Tiflis, the capital of the country Georgia, where an elite class of Armenian lived at the time. The protagonist, a rich man played by Sos Sargsyan, is doing everything to marry his daughter well. The arrangement includes a fake funeral amongst other manipulations.
Խոշոր շահում (The Big Win), 1981
A newly retired man wins a car, “Japorojets” (Soviet manufacturing) through a lottery, which results in his neighbors taking advantage of his generosity of using his car for their needs and get him in all sorts of trouble until he breaks under the pressure. WIth Mher Mkrtchyan and Lyudmila Hovhanisyan in its main roles, the film brilliantly captures the common social mentality of its time and the declining mental health of a person who can’t say “no”, or whose “no” goes vehemently unheard.
Nahapet, 1977
Nahapet portrayed by Sos Sargsyan is a Western Armenian man who has his family killed right in front of him and being the only survivor, has to move to Eastern Armenian. Amidst his grief, his brother and sister convince him to remarry and rebuild a family. He eventually does with the woman his siblings arrange for him who shares his honesty and work ethic. They have a child, and Nahapet vows to continue the ancestral line and encourages everyone in the village to do the same and to preserve the very things that make the families Armenian.
Ճերմակ անուրջներ (White Dreams), 1985
This ever touching story of an honest man played by Sos Sargsyan who keeps doves as pets and lives by training them to fly addresses significant social issues such as the sacrifices good people make in the face of bigotry and the pains that it carries.
Առաջին սիրո երգը (Song of the First Love), 1958
A talented singer loses his way and gives to drinking, alienating himself from his family and keeping bad friends as company. The film takes place in the industrial stage of the development of the city of Yerevan, which serves as the backdrop of the story. Arno Babajanyan wrote 3 songs for the film (Yerevan’s Beautiful Girl, My Yerevan and You, My Loving Sunshine) that have become national favorites since.
Երջանկության մեխանիկա (The Mechanics of Happiness), 1982
An engineer played by Azat Gasparyan falls in love with a single mother, played by Alla Tumanyan. The feel-good story follows them as they face different obstacles ultimately finding their way to each other. The engineer’s best friend is portrayed by the talented Razmik Mansuryan. The music in the film is composed by the legendary Arno Babajanyan.
Տժվժիկ (Tjvjik, Tzhvzhvik, or Dzhvzhik), 1962
Based on a tale by the same name by Atrpet, the short film is about Count Nikoghos, portrayed by Tsolak Amerikyan, buying liver to make Tzhvshik (a fried dish) for Western Armenian Nerses, portrayed by Hrachya Nersisyan, as an act of goodwill. Afterwards, he praises himself everywhere for it so much so that Nerses becomes sick of it.
Տղամարդիկ (The Men), 1973
Friends who are taxi drivers are doing everything they can to help Aram who has fallen in love with Karine but is too shy and nervous to speak to her even when the opportunity arises. They scheme as much as possible to make it possible for him to have a chance in front of her building, but each time, things do not go as planned. There’s also an appearance by Armen Jigarkhanyan.
Թթենի (Mulberry Tree), 1979
This short demonstrates the power of neighborliness and the dynamic Armenian neighbors had towards each other. One neighbor’s daughters are fighting with the neighbor’s sons for mulberry on the mulberry tree. Their fighting gets the dads involved who are seemingly combative but ultimately respect each other’s situation when the boys’ father enforces respect toward their neighbors. At the end, both families picnic under the mulberry tree eating the mulberries together.