THE COLOR OF ARMENIAN LAND (1969)

In his wordless debut film, Mikhail Vartanov presents the ancient and modern art of Armenia through the post-impressionist painter Martiros Saryan’s silent commentary of gestures. Biblical landscapes, the ruins of temples, frescos, cross-stones, contemporary sculptures of Tchakmakchian (Chakmakchyan), the first appearance on film of iconic modernist painter Minas and his paintings, as well as the world famous behind-the-scenes episodes of Sergei Parajanov’s landmark "The Color of Pomegranates (Sayat Nova)." The film had its first public screening at one of the world’s largest and prestigious cinematic events, the Busan International Film Festival, 43 years after it was made.