23:00, 7 July 2012

Armenia starts its "Golden Apricot" Film Festival

The Ninth International "Golden Apricot" Film Festival will open in Yerevan on July 8 with screening of the Amo Beknazaryan's film "Shor and Shorshor". This year, the festival received a record number of applications – 1250; of them, 150 films from 44 countries were selected.

For the first time this year, the "Golden Apricot" will award the prize, established by the Armenian Apostolic Church – "Let there be light!" This award will be given to the Russian film director Alexander Sokurov, said Arutyun Khachatryan, Director of the "Golden Apricot".

According to his story, the reward "Let there be light!" will be awarded for the promotion of spiritual, cultural and humanitarian values, and for significant contribution to the international cinematograph.

As part of the retrospective show, the "Golden Apricot" will screen Alexander Sokurov's films "Sun", "Moloch", "Bull", and the film "Faust", which won the main prize – "Golden Lion" – of the Venice Film Festival of 2011.

The festival will last till July 15.

Author: Lilit Ovanisyan

Source: CK correspondent