Sergey Paradjanov in Tbilisi © Yuri Mechitov
Last week marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of renowned Soviet-era film director Sergey Parajanov. Born on 9 January 1924 in Tbilisi, Georgia, to ethnic Armenian parents, Parajanov’s character was rooted in the city of his birth, while his own influence and legacy has reached far and wide. “I was born in Georgia, worked in Ukraine, and I am going to die in Armenia,” Parajanov said in a 1988 interview.
Parajanov passed away from cancer in Yerevan on 20 July 1990. Best known for 1969’s The Colour of Pomegranates, which is based on the life of 18th-century ethnic Armenian bard and poet Sayat Nova, his legacy continues even today. Even though he never got to live in it, his house museum opened a year later with his childhood belongings and home furnishings transferred to Armenia from Georgia.
“In the temple of cinema, there are images, light, and reality,” French Director Jean-Goddard said of The Colour of Pomegranates. “Parajanov was the master of that temple.” Madonna and Lady Gaga also released music videos based on Parajanov’s work in 1985 and 2015, respectively. Forever crossing borders, his last film was 1988’s Ashik Kerib, shot in Baku.
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“The legacy of Parajanov is very important for Armenia, Georgia, and also for all humanity,” Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Ashot Smbatyan told me. “Parajanov is a very special bond between Armenia, Georgia, and humanity. We are talking about Parajanov retrospectively, but we must ask ourselves, who else could be so brave during those times to think so freely?”
The full article is here.
