The great Armenian poet Taniel Varoujan will feature in a forthcoming
film set during the Armenian Genocide when he was murdered alongside hundreds of thousands of
fellow Armenians.
Produced and Directed by Garo Berberian and co-written with
Ben Hodgson, the film will reflect on the poet’s prophetic vision for the world
and allude to his lost poetry, written in the weeks leading up to his execution.
Director and writer worked together previously on the award winning ‘Return of the Tyke’, another poetically themed short film centred around the determined spirit of a cyclist.
Ben Hodgson is also Director of Photography on ‘Luther, The Idea That Shook The World’ to be screened on PBS U.S.A.
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Storyboard artwork indicates a dramatic, chiaroscuro feel
with powerful framing and hard hitting images.
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Writing the Film
“Writing about the Armenian Genocide was such a daunting
prospect, historically and emotionally, that I had to find a way to get into the story on a personal level.” says Ben who is a member of the academic staff at University of Portsmouth Film School. “The Producer handed me a pile of books to
get me started and I spent a family holiday with my nose in titles
like ‘Fear and Genocide’. But buried in the material I found an account of Taniel
Varoujan’s story just calling out to be told."
"Taniel's story connects emotionally at a
very deep level, illustrates the historical timeline and has enormous contemporary
relevance. Moreover, Varoujan’s writing is wonderfully visual. Portsmouth University
have been great in their support for the project and I can’t wait to get out to
Armenia and see the cameras roll and the story unfold."
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| Shooting on Red |
Dark, Powerful
Storyboard artwork by Illustrator Jesse Hodgson indicates a
dramatic, chiaroscuro feel with powerful framing and hard hitting images. A
strong local cast has been assembled with rehearsals taking place during the
Spring.
Principal photography is scheduled for June, with key locations in Armenia chosen for their historical authenticity. A highly respected Armenian film unit will be shooting on RED with Zeiss lenses and post production for the film will be U.K. based.
