BROKEN CHILDHOOD – Armenia – 46 min. – directed by Jivan Avetisyan – North American Premiere – AA 14
The incredible true story of a courageous six year old child named Lena, who was taken captive by Azeri forces in 1992. An Azeri woman holds the child as a prisoner in her home, in hopes that her missing son would be exchanged for Lena. After months of silence, the Azeri captor formulates a bold […]
POM 2013
LOST & FOUND IN ARMENIA
Sunday October 21 @ 9:15pm – Hamazkayin Theatre (SOLD OUT) Sunday November 18 @ 7pm – Hamazkayin Theatre (SOLD OUT) Sunday November 18 @ 9pm – Hamazkayin Theatre (BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE) World Premiere – 100 min. – Introduction by Director Gor Kirakosian (BIG STORY IN A SMALL CITY). Q&A following the film with Jamie Kennedy (SCREAM, […]
AZAD
Sunday October 21 @ 7:00pm– Hamazkayin Theatre. Armenia/France – Nicolas Tackian – 70 min. – North American Premiere – Q& A to follow the screening with the film’s Director and actress Alexandra Bienvenu who plays the role of Mina. Synopsis: The word ‘Azad’ means freedom in both Armenian and Kurdish—the core theme in this dramatic feature. […]
BAD FATHER
Sunday 7 pm – Tigrane Avedikian – France – 29 min. Synopsis: A son’s jealousy is unleashed when he sees his veterinarian father (Serge Avedikian – ARAM) interact with rehabilitated juvenile delinquents who work at a horse ranch. – Followed by Q&A with Bienvenu & Tackian.
MY MOTHER'S VOICE
Sunday 3:15 pm – Dr. Kay Mouradian – USA – 25 min. Synopsis: Armenians lost an incredibly vibrant, successful, and valuable gene pool of 1.5 million people as a result of the 1915 Genocide. This short film is one young girl’s poignant story, that of fourteen-year-old Flora Munushian, an epic chapter in Armenian history. An Armenian […]
ONLY YESTERDAY
Sunday 1:15 pm – Shant Sarkissian – Australia – 5 min. – Rated PG 13. Synopsis: A soldier contemplates his final day of duty. Talented Australian born Actor/Director Shant Sarkissian, has attended the Pomegranate Film Festival on several occasions while working on Canadian productions. This is his first submission to the Festival with hopefully many more […]
IT'S ME
Sunday 1:15 pm – Vahagn Grigoryan – Armenia – 108 min. – PG 13 Synopsis: A light-hearted tale of a young man’s transition into the Armenian army and his discovery of love and courage. A humourous coming of age story with an Armenian twist.
ZENNE DANCER
Sunday 11 am – Caner Alper & Mehmet Binay – Turkey – 99 min. – R Synopsis: Award-winning feature film based on the true story of a gay university student in Istanbul, with the acclaimed cinematography of Norayr Kaspar (CALENDAR). Trailer: ZENNE Dancer – Movie Trailer
DISAPPEARING MEMORIES
Saturday 3 pm – Hayk Bjanyan – Armenia – 23 min Synopsis: Determined photojournalist Hayk Bjanyan exposes the effect of construction on Northern Avenue in Yerevan, and what it has meant to dislocated families and to ancient architectural treasures.
ARMENIAN ACTIVISTS NOW!
Robert Davidian –Armenia – 41 min. – PG 13 Synopsis: Produced by Davidian Video Productions and many dedicated Armenian activists, this 41 minute documentary shows the birth of activism and the social issues it aims to change in Armenia, as told by the activists themselves. The time is right for Armenian Activists Now! Bio: Robert […]
GRANDFATHER MARKAR
Guzh Tadevosyan – Armenia – 25 min. Synopsis: A political spoof on the absurdity of borders, highlighting one man’s obstinacy to maintain the territorial rights to his outhouse. (Picture of actor)
SECRET OF LIGHT
Saturday October 20 @ 11:00am – Hamazkayin Theatre. USA – 13 min. – Canadian Premiere. Synopsis: The Princess of Light returns to her father’s kingdom to face the Dark Devil and restore light in the Valley of Greed. Director: Vahram Hakobyan Trailer: Secret of Light teaser trailer from Vahram Hakobyan on Vimeo.
MEMORIES WITHOUT BORDERS
Saturday October 20 @ 1:00pm– Hamazkayin Theatre. Armenia/Nagorny Karabakh/Azerbaijan/Turkey – Mehmet Binay, Co-Directors (Ayaz Salayev and Levon Kalantar) – 55 min. – World Premiere Synopsis: Located at the intersection of national memories and personal lives, director Mehmet Binay’s latest documentary challenges the audience to ask: what do we choose to remember about others and what […]
NEW JULFA
Saturday October 20 @ 1:00pm – Hamazkayin Theatre. Armenia/Iran – Arsen Gasparyan – 29 min. – North American Premiere Synopsis: An informative documentary about the Armenian diaspora in Isfahan, Iran. New Julfa is the name Armenians gave their new home in Iran after they were forced to depart from their ancestral lands in Nakhichevan, upon the […]
A MONSTER IN PARIS
Saturday October 20 @ 11am – Hamazkayin Theatre France – 87 min. – Q&A to follow screening with writer Stephane Kazandjian. Synopsis: A 3D-animated movie set in Paris in the year 1910 and centered on a monster who lives in a garden and his love for a beautiful, young singer Lucille. Director: Bibo Bergeron Writers: Bibo […]
AFTER WATER THERE IS SAND
Saturday October 20 @ 3:15pm – Hamazkayin Theatre – PG 13. Armenia/USA – 18 min. – World Premiere. Synopsis: Tamar, an 80-year-old widow, visits her Armenian homeland to fulfill her recently-deceased husband’s last wish: to take a family photo in front of Mount Ararat. Tamar’s daughters however, Armine and Lori, are less than interested in going to Mount […]
CLOSED CAPTION
Thursday October 18 @ 9pm- Symphony of Sin – Hamazkayin Theatre – Rated R Canada – 18 min. – World Premiere Synopsis: Closed Caption is a short, dramatic narrative that explores the nature of love, both literally and figuratively in the non-hearing world. Over the course of a day, Jack attempts to revive his tattered […]
OCCUPIED TEARS
Thursday October 18 @ 9pm – Hamazkayin Theatre- Symphony of Sin – Rated R USA – Eric Nazarian – 5 min. – Canadian Premiere Synopsis: Lead singer of System Of A Down Serj Tankian’s song “Occupied Tears,” directed by talented filmmaker Eric Nazarian who’s previous contribution at the Pomegranate Film Festival include THE BLUE HOUR […]
MIDNIGHT FISTFIGHT
Thursday October 18 @ 9pm – Hamazkayin Theatre – Symphony of Sin – Rated AA14. USA – Robert Nazar Arjoyan – 23 min. – Canadian Premiere. Synopsis: Rage-filled Gev, a first generation American, must learn to get along with his sister’s straight-laced boyfriend Alec, whom he accompanies to a ‘zhamo,’ a ritualistic and centuries-old Armenian tradition, […]
Hamazkayin Presents the 7th Annual Pomegranate Film Festival
HELLVETICA
Thursday October 18 @ 9pm – Hamazkayin Theatre – Symphony of Sin – Rated R Director Kalen Artinian will be present for this screening. Canada – Kalen Artinian – 14 min. – Toronto Premiere Synopsis: A horror comedy about a struggling writer who is asked to write a story of terror. Soon thereafter, the lines between […]
TRADE
USA – 15 min. – directed by Karni Baghdikian – Canadian Premiere Just over ten years ago the World Trade Centre was destroyed as a result of terrorist attacks. Thousands of innocent victims unfortunately perished while some chose a different type of trade… Director Karni Baghdikian manages to highlight the quirkiest sides of human nature […]
HAYRENNER
Armenia – 20 min. – directed by David Sakayants – North American Premiere Dedicated to his late father Robert Sakayants, a larger than life figure in Yerevan’s film making circles, this short animated piece by David Sakayants will keep viewers in a dream like trance from start to finish. HAYRENNER illustrates the rich history of […]
THROUGH MY LENS – Thurs. Dec. 1st at 7pm
Armenia/Artsakh/Canada – 3 min. – directed by Garine Tcholakian – World Premiere Award-winning internationally published journalist Gariné Tcholakian is no stranger to the unique power of storytelling. As a newspaper features writer, magazine editor, digital producer and travel photographer, Tcholakian’s burning quest over the last 15 years to uncover the shared human experience has found […]
ROOTS
Greece – 46 min. – directed by Vahagn Karapetyan – Armenian, English and Greek with English subtitles where necessary – Canadian Premiere The history of Armenians in Greece dating back several centuries is celebrated in this well researched documentary. ROOTS will appeal not only to Greek Armenians but to all audience members interested to learn […]
KOMITAS
Armenia/Lebanon – 11 min. – directed by David Deranian – Armenian and English with English subtitles where necessary – Canadian Premiere An informative piece about the Father of modern Armenian music, meticulously researched and well prepared. Music affecionados and amateur historians alike will appreciate this short film which will be presented alongside the feature film […]
MOTO GUZZI
Turkey – 9 min. – directed by Ozcan Alper – Turkish with English subtitles – Canadian Premiere Few artists have been able to translate the scenic landscape of Western Armenia on to a film reel as effectively as Hamshenahye director Ozcan Alper. MOTO GUZZI is a short film based on a childhood romance in the […]
MATURE WHITEHEADS – Sat. Dec. 3rd at 10am
Canada – 7 min. – directed by Ara Sagherian – World Premiere A young man has been counting down the days until his dream date with Robyn, for whom he has had a long time crush. When the big day finally arrives, the worst possible scenario starts to unravel, or so he thinks. Directed by […]
SPARE CHANGE – Sat. Dec. 3rd at 10am
Canada – 6 min. – directed by Ara Sagherian and Tom Rabin – World Premiere Do on to others as you would like them to do on to you, according the Golden Rule. Filmed in Toronto, SPARE CHANGE is a short film that contemplates carma and the old adage that not everything appears to be […]
REVIVAL – Thurs. Dec. 1st at 7pm
Armenia – 36 min. – directed by Gagik Stepanyan – Armenian with English subtitles – North American Premiere This short documentary focuses on the movement that resulted in the construction of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Monument – “Tsisernagapert” – in the 1960s, and its important influence on the awakening of national self-awareness for the Armenian […]
NO DARKNESS WILL MAKE US FORGET
Turkey – 10 min. – directed by Husein Karabey; Voice of Raquel Dink – Turkish with English subtitles – North American Premiere A well choreographed animation about Hrant Dink, the Istanbul-based Armenian journalist killed by a Turkish nationalist in 2007. The film is based on his wife Raquel Dink’s speech at his funeral, attended by […]
MOVE – Sat. Dec. 3rd at 10am
Canada – 6 min. – directed by Kalen Artinian – World Premiere An in-depth look into a young dancer’s world of music and relationships. Winner of Best Drama at the 2010 Centennial College Donny Awards. This is Kalen Artinian’s first film entry at the Pomegranate Film Festival and he will be present to introduce his […]
MEPHISTO – Sat. Dec. 3rd at 10am
France – 15 min. – directed/produced by Laurence Vaissière; edited by Nicolas Sarkissian – French with English subtitles – North American Premiere A young woman is called to her dying pianist father’s bedside. She intends to mourn her father with poetry, emotion, and humour, like a great jazz tune. A warm and humorous glance into […]
LE PETIT BIJOU
USA – 13 min. – directed by Oksana Mirzoyan – World Premiere Filmed entirely in Detroit, a chance encounter between a young man and woman leads into a whimsical journey of love and destiny. Born in Baku, talented director Oksana Mirzoyan’s family was forced to evacuate to Moscow before making her way to the United […]
LEMONARY
Russia – 26 min. – produced by Arsen Arutyunyan – Russian and Uzbeki with English subtitles – North American Premiere An intricate and oddly humourous story about migrant workers from the former Soviet republics trying to make a living in Moscow any way they can. It is estimated that over 1 million Armenians reside in […]
THE LAST ARMENIAN IN TURKEY
The Netherlands – 45 min. – directed by Stefanie de Brouwer – Armenian, English and Turkish with English subtitles where necessary – North American Premiere Journalist Bram Vermeulen travels through Turkey, from Istanbul through Erzeroum to Van, focusing on Kars, the setting of Orhan Pamuk’s novel Snow (Kar). His journey begins by highlighting the complex […]
I DREAM – Thurs. Dec. 1st at 7pm
Artsakh – 14 min. – directed by Grigor Danielyan – Armenian with English subtitles – Canadian Premiere Following the cease-fire agreement signed in 1994 between Armenia and Azerbaijan, thousands of Armenian recruits are still sent to the Artsakh border to patrol the area every year. This short film is about a group of rookie recruits, […]
THE SPACESHIP
Sweden – 25 min. – directed by Emil Mkrttchian – Swedish with English subtitles – North American Premiere Mia dreams of flying to outer space and wants to make pizzas in order to raise money. She runs into problems with the owner of a local pizzeria, initially a bigoted man who refuses to hire her. […]
LE PIANO – Thurs. Dec. 1st at 7pm
Armenia/France – 26 min. – directed by Levon Minasian – Armenian with English subtitles – Toronto Premiere 13 year old Loussiné is a gifted pianist who lives with her grandfather in a small “domik” in the city of Gyumri formerly known as Leninakan, Armenia. The Ministry of Culture sends her a piano so that she […]
MY GRANDMA’S TATTOOS
Armenia/Lebanon/Sweden/Syria/USA – 58 min. – directed by Suzanne Khardalian – Arabic, Armenian and English with English subtitles where necessary – North American Premiere Director Suzanne Khardalian takes a brave look into the life of her grandmother Khantoum, described as an austere woman marked with tattoos. A web of dark secrets is unravelled, as Khardalian discovers […]
GALATA
Armenia/Turkey – 14 min. – directed by Diana Kardumyan – North American Premiere Filmed in Istanbul as part of the Armenia-Turkey film platform of Directors Without Borders, a tourist couple look for the Galata Tower and come across something unexpected. Diana Kardumyan is a film maker originally from Stepanakert now plying her trade in Yerevan. […]
FINDING ZABEL YESAYAN
Armenia/Turkey – 42 min. – directed by Lara Aharonian and Talin Suciyan – Armenian and English with English subtitles where necessary – Canadian Premiere A gripping documentary about the life of activist, author and one of the earliest modern Armenian feminists, Zabel Yesayan, the only woman to be blacklisted amongst the group of 300 Armenian […]
EXPERIENCE
France – 19 min. – directed by Varante Soudjian – French with English subtitles – North American Premiere Four young women coincidentally meet on the same day after each one individually fails to commit a very serious personal act. Together they find communal strength to overcome their inner fears and move from darkness into light. […]
DON’T GET LOST CHILDREN – Sat. Dec. 3rd at 10am
Armenia/Turkey – 30 min. – directed by Gülengül Altinaş – Turkish with English subtitles – North American Premiere Filor, who grew up an orphan, finds out that she has a brother. Garo and Filor decide that Camp Armen (Tuzla Armenian Children Camp), where they spent their childhoods without knowing each other, is the most convenient […]
APPLES
USA – 13 min. – associate producer Karni Baghdikian – Canadian Premiere A “planned” encounter between Father and Son demonstrates that the apple indeed does not fall too far from the tree. Karni Baghdikian is an American-Armenian film maker who also worked on ROBBIE’S WITHDRAWAL, presented at the 2010 Pomegranate Film Festival. APPLES will be […]
VOYAGE TO AMASIA – Sun. Dec. 4th at 2pm
Armenia/Turkey/USA – 85 min. – directed by Randy Bell and Eric Hachikian – Armenian, English and Turkish with English subtitles where necessary – World Premiere Composer Eric Hachikian’s courageous personal journey to discover his grandmother’s birth place in historic Armenia takes him to the picturesque village of Amasia in modern-day Turkey. Eric’s grandmother was never […]
HAYASTAN: THE LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE – Sat. Dec. 3rd at 10am
France – 52 min. – directed by Frank Lorrain – Armenian and French with English subtitles – North American Premiere The Armenian National Rugby team, which is composed 90% of players from France, needs to find native Armenian rugby players in order to abide by the requirements of the sport’s ruling body, the International Rugby […]
YOU DON’T KNOW JACK – Sat. Dec. 3rd at 4pm
USA – 134 min. – directed by Barry Levinson – Canadian Premiere A thrilling look at the life and work of doctor-assisted suicide advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian, one of the most controversial figures of the 20th century. Al Pacino shines in this multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning film. The cast includes memorable performances […]
THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO – Fri. Dec. 2nd at 7:10pm
France – 90 min. – directed by Robert Guediguian – French with English subtitles Set in Marseilles, husband and wife, Michel and Marie-Claire, are ready to travel to Africa after Michel, a dockworker, has been laid off work since his name was chosen out of a lottery he organized as president of his local union […]
MY UNCLE RAPHAEL
USA – 102 min. – produced and written by Vahik Pirhamzei – Armenian and English with English subtitles where necessary – Canadian Premiere When a TV producer is desperate to find a replacement series, she convinces a 71 year-old Armenian, tell-it-like-it-is Uncle to star in a new reality show. Cultures collide when Uncle Rafael is […]
THE SON OF THE OLIVE MERCHANT – Sun. Dec. 4th at 6:10pm
France/Turkey – 77 min. – directed by Mathieu Zeitindjioglou – Armenian, English, French and Turkish with English subtitles where necessary – Canadian Premiere For their honeymoon, Anna and Mathieu travel to Turkey with camera in hand, to explore the life of Garabed, Mathieu’s Armenian grandfather, and survivor of the Genocide. The road trip across Anatolia, […]
THE JUBILEE VISITOR – Thurs. Dec. 1st at 9pm
Armenia – 74 min. – directed by Ara Yernjakyan – Armenian with English subtitles – World Premiere Starring two of Armenia’s most popular actors, THE JUBILEE VISITOR celebrates a coming of age in Yerevan cinema with an engaging plot that keeps the audience guessing till the very end. This mind twisting marvel takes place over […]
HERE – Fri. Dec. 2nd at 9:20pm
USA – 126 min. – directed by Braden King – Armenian and English with English subtitles where necessary – Toronto premiere Will (Ben Foster) is a satellite-mapping engineer conducting a survey of Armenia. One morning, at a rural hotel, he meets Gadarine (Lubna Azabal), an Armenian expatriate and photographer, who has returned home for the […]
ANDUNI- Sun. Dec. 4th at 10am
Armenia/Germany – 89 min. – directed by Samira Radsi – Armenian & German with English subtitles – North American Premiere 28 year-old Belinda finds herself stuck in her never-ending studies, a half-baked relationship and a quest to discover her identity. Raised by three cultures, her Armenian family emigrated from Istanbul in order to assure a […]
KING OF THE WORLD – Sun. Dec. 4th at 4pm
France – 87 min. – directed by Stéphane Kazandjian – French with English subtitles – Canadian Premiere Director Stéphane Kazandjian’s (SEXY BOYS, MODERN LOVE) comedic mockumentary about Michel Ganiant is a spectacular and hilarious look into the modern world of big business. This clever and satiric film about an affable yet morally bankrupt business tycoon […]
SUNRISE OVER LAKE VAN
Armenia/France/Turkey/USA – 93 min – directed by Artak Igityan and Vahan Stepanyan – Armenian, English and French with English subtitles where necessary – North American Premiere – 2011 Gala film One of the most wonderful “Armenian” stories told on the big screen in recent years. Beautifully shot over three continents, the chief protagonist is 80 […]
NUIT BLANCHE – Canada – directed by Arev Manoukian (short film)
Having captured several awards and already been showcased in numerous Film Festivals, Arev Manoukian’s short film captures the imagination of audiences with its stellar cinematography. Nuit Blanche explores a fleeting moment between two strangers, revealing their brief connection in a hyper real fantasy.
LES SOFTIES – Canada – 10 min. – short film – rated R
Recently screened to much laughter & applause at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, Chooch and Ponch are hit men. While waiting to knock off a mark at a cottage in Muskoka, they ponder what life might have in store if they quit their day jobs and pursued their unrealized potential. Emmanuel Shirinian studied at […]
FIFTH COLUMN (Hinkerort Zorasune)** Lebanon -29 min. – short film – Armenian with English subtitles – rated GA
Vatche Boulghourjian’s masterpiece is a chronicle of desperation and mourning in the economically and culturally marginalized Armenian quarter of Beirut through a weave of allegorical narratives. In a panic, Hrag has stolen his father’s gun and fled home. As father searches for son, both discover paths to personal freedom in a city that offers no […]
