Artavazd Peleshyan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Artavazd Peleshyan
|
|
|---|---|
Peleshyan in 2008
|
|
| Born | February 22, 1938 (age 87) |
| Nationality | Armenian |
| Alma mater | All-Union State Institute of Cinematography |
| Occupation | director, documentarian, screenwriter, film theorist |
| Years active | 1964–present |
|
Notable work
|
Seasons of the Year |
| Spouse(s) | Aïda Galstyan |
| Awards | People's Artist of the Armenian SSR Merited Artist of the Russian Federation |
Artavazd Peleshyan (born February 22, 1938) is a famous Armenian film director, screenwriter, and film theorist. He is known for creating a special way of making movies called "distance montage." This style combines deep views with things moving towards the camera, like animals running or crowds of people. Another famous filmmaker, Sergei Parajanov, even called Peleshyan "one of the few authentic geniuses in the world of cinema." Peleshyan has received important awards, including "Merited Artist" titles in 1979 and 1995.
His films are often described as being somewhere between a documentary and a story film. They are not like regular documentaries. Instead, they offer a "poetic view of life" shown through moving pictures.
Peleshyan often uses old film clips in his movies. However, for his most famous film, Seasons of the Year, he used only new footage. This film was shot by cinematographer Mikhail Vartanov. He also often uses special camera lenses to capture natural, unposed shots of people doing everyday things.
Most of Peleshyan's films are short, usually lasting from 6 to about 60 minutes. They typically do not have any talking or dialogue. But music and sound effects are very important in his films. They help tell the story and create the mood just as much as the pictures do. Almost all of his films were made in black-and-white.
Contents
Peleshyan's Amazing Films
Peleshyan's first films were made while he was still a student. They won several awards. We know of twelve films that he has made.
Early Works and Unique Styles
- The Beginning (1967) is a film about the October Revolution of 1917. In this film, he used a unique visual trick. He would hold a film clip still for a moment, then move it forward for just a second or two, and then pause it again. This created a cool, stuttering effect.
- We (1967) tells the history of Armenia and its people in a poetic way.
- Inhabitants (1970) explores the connection between wild animals and humans.
His Most Famous Film
Many film experts believe that Seasons of the Year (1975) is Artavazd Peleshyan's most important film. This movie looks at how humans and nature can be both different and in harmony. It was the last time Peleshyan worked with Mikhail Vartanov, who was also a very important documentary filmmaker from Armenia. They first worked together on The Autumn Pastoral (1971).
Film Theory and Later Life
Peleshyan has also written books about film. One of his important books is My Cinema, published in 1988.
Because Armenia was not a major center for international cinema, Peleshyan's work was not widely known at first. After the Soviet Union ended, he made two more short films: Life (1993) and The End (1994). He now lives in Moscow. His most recent film, Nature, was finished in 2006 and first shown in 2020.
Filmography
As Director
- Mountain Vigil (1964)
- Earth of People (1966)
- The Beginning (1967)
- Dream (1968)
- We (1969)
- Inhabitants (1970)
- Stellar Minute (1972)
- Seasons of the Year (1975)
- Our Century (1982)
- God in Russia (1984)
- The End (1992)
- Life (1993)
- Nature (2020)
As Screenwriter
- The Autumn Pastoral (1971) (directed by Mikhail Vartanov)
- Homo Sapiens (1979)
- Desert (1984)
As Actor
- We and Our Mountains (1969) (as Revaz)
- The Silence of Peleshyan (2011) (playing himself)
