It’s about more than friendship however: Armine Anda's images are suggestive of the deep-rootedness of her animated protagonists in their culture, and how knowledge thereof is transmitted. In this case, as experience passed on from generation to generation, the sum of history and everyday existence, fears and hopes, traumata and moments of happiness, oral history and the small interpersonal relationships that go to make up "culture". And there is also a hint of melancholy - since when something is passed on, the implication is that the conveyor of tradition will, at some point, pass away. Everything stays the same, and yet it changes. And all of his in just 13 minutes of film.
Text: Bernd Buder
Supporting film of : LANDSHAFT (Daniel Kötter, DE/AM 2023, 96 Min)
ARMINE ANDA (Armenia) & ROMAN BALAYAN (Ukraine)
Graphics: ANNA HAKOPIAN
MIQAYEL VOSKANYAN & ED MESROPYAN & TIGRAN KUZIKYAN
MIQAYEL VOSKANYAN
ARMINE ANDA & GAGIK GHAZAREH
HOORAKHSH STUDIOS (Iran)
Armine Anda - Armine Anda is an Armenian Director, Writer, Actress and Producer. She is the recipient of Orange Armenia Book Award for the first high fantasy novel written in Armenian- “The Inhabitants of Ankimure”, published with her illustrations. The films co-written and produced by her had 150+ selections receiving various awards. “The Song of Flying Leaves”, the first animation she also directed (2023), confirmed 70+ festivals receiving 15 awards, Armenian National Film Academy “Anahit” Award for “Best Animated Film”, Golden Apricot as “Best Short Film”, “Best Animated Film” at Ariano IFF, Italy, Golden Flame Animation Award in Lantern & Light ICFF, Australia, Audience Awards in “Horizons” Competition at Paris IAFF, and Lucania Film Festival, Italy, among them. With her films and books Armine Anda longs to reflect upon the connection between imagination and empathy.