Section: Close Up: Armenia

Backstage

The Backstage

Hovhannes Galstyan
AM, DE, LU, 2024, 102 Min

How far should one go in the pursuit of art? In the glossy world of the state-supported Yerevan Ballet two stubborn egos collide. Intrigue and sabotage behind the scenes of the State Ballet paint a bleak picture of the culture industry. Is it about making better art or an unequal power struggle?

#feature #drama #clash

Performance

2024-11-06 | 19:00
Stadthalle

Gabriel, the theatre’s artistic director, fires his prima ballerina Nora just four months before a premiere of international significance, an adaptation of Kafka's The Metamorphosis. While Gabriel and his newly appointed prima Jeanette grow closer, Nora plots against the pair. She puts one obstacle after another in Gabriel's path, and soon accusations of embezzlement are made against him. He is confronted by a system which considers him guilty in the absence of any solid evidence. He is in danger of losing everything for the sake of his artistic vision. Jeanette also puts her health and future on the line for the sake of the ballet. The conflict escalates as the premiere approaches, the intricate choreography of which is dramatised by means of arc shots into a dizzying crescendo.

Text: Dominique Ott-Despoix

THE BACKSTAGE celebrates its worl premiere at the 34th FFC.

06.11.2024 | 19:00 | Stadthalle (original version with English subtitles + simultaneous translation into German)

Drehbuch
Hovhannes Galstyan, Marine Zakaryan
Kamera
Mihran Stepanyan
Ton
Karen Tsaturyan
Schnitt
Romen Tsaturyan, Mihran Stepanyan
Ausstattung
Narek Zakaryan, Grigor Apresyan
Musik
Lilit Navasardyan, Philip Glass, Nils Frahm
Darsteller
Khoren Levonyan, Lilit Hakobyan, Vivien Bastajyan
Produzent
Ani Galstyan
Produktion
Anso Films llc
Co-Produktion
Clever Production gmbh
Hovhannes Galstyan

Hovhannes Galstyan - Hovhannes Galstyan, director, writer, and producer, was born in Armenia. Graduated from the Cultural department of directing at the Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU). Founded PARALLELS FILMPRODUCTION Company in 2005, where heserves as CEO. Under his leadership, the company has become a driving force in the filmindustry. Galstyan's directorial debut, "Bonded Parallels" (Armenia, France, Norway) in 2009, premiered at the Moscow International Film Festival and later had its European premiere atthe International Film Festival Rotterdam's Bright Feature Program in 2010. In 2016, Galstyan took a significant step towards nurturing emerging talents by establishing "The Center of Industry, Education & Motion Arts" (CINEMA). This pioneering institution aims to provide aspiring directors, scriptwriters, and producers with invaluable industry insights and opportunities to expand their creative horizons. In 2024, Galstyan was elected as chairman of the board of Panarmenian Federation of Film Producers | PFFP.

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