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Murad Janibekyan: Actor Gets Top Prize In New York


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Murad Janibekyan: Actor gets top prize in New York

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By Marianna Grigoryan

ArmeniaNow Reporter

 

Murad Janibekyan, of the Gabriel Sundukyan National Academic Theater in Yerevan, has been named Best Actor in the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival.

 

Four thousand eight hundred films of various genres – from three minutes to three hours in length – from all over the world were entered in the festival during April and May. Of that number, 300 qualified for second-round judging, from which 11, including Janibekyan’s 61-minute film “Hamlet” were awarded prizes.

 

“Hamlet” brought glory to the Armenian artist

“Hamlet” brought glory to the Armenian artist

Janibekyan is the film’s director, producer and lead actor.

 

Janibekyan says his “Hamlet” is a unique and personal brainchild.

 

“Only Hamlet speaks in the film,” the actor/director says. “He was biblical, God sent. The rest of the characters are marionettes, who are not given the right of speech in my film.”

 

The film is bilingual – a synthesis of Armenian and English.

 

The hero speaks Armenian, then shifts to English.

 

“I wanted the foreigners to hear my language, hear the sound of Armenian and it made a great impression,” says Janibekyan, who adds that one audience in New York gave the film a five-minute standing ovation.

 

“Hamlet” was shot over a six month period last year and this. Its cast includes 8 actors, all from Armenia. The film cost $32,000, which Janibekyan raised by selling his home and three summer houses that belonged to his family.

 

“Many people told me ‘Think of yourself Murad, you have sold everything, you will lose everything’,” tells Janibekyan. “But there was no time for fear, while shooting ‘Hamlet’. I put my soul into the creation of the film.

 

“If I lived 200 years something could be saved, but in our life you should leave something beautiful after you,” smiles Janibekyan.

 

Janibekyan has won other awards for acting in theater but he is proud he has been among the best in an international contest of prestige.

 

“When I learnt I was awarded at such a high level festival, I did not believe I could serve such a service to my nation,” says Janibekyan.

 

But there is a familiar sad Armenian variant to this success story: Having spent all his money on making the film, Janibekyan could not afford to go to New York to receive his award, which was given out June 17 in New York.

 

He applied to the Ministry of Culture for travel expenses, but was denied. (The festival celebration includes New York, Los Angeles, Cannes, Las Vegas.)

 

But the actor’s friends helped, and he went to New York and Los Angeles.

 

“When I went on stage and said that Armenia was presented for the first time I was very proud and the people there were very warm,” he says.

 

Janibekyan says he made important contacts while in New York. The success has also been an inspiration.

 

Janibekyan says he has received good offers and invitations at the Los Angeles International Video Festival.

 

“I have interesting ideas for shooting films in the future, but I do not have anything else to sell,” says the award winner.

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Four thousand eight hundred films of various genres

 

Thats really something to be proud of.

 

The film cost $32,000, which Janibekyan raised by selling his home

 

And love for one's art. brilliant stuff..

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  • 4 months later...
P.S. what about the ministry of culture, it's not a news, that they are all assholes.

 

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