Yerevan

2008 Sundance film festival – the largest annual independent cinema festival in the United States (founded in 1978) welcomed filmmakers from 34 countries (presenting dramas, documentaries, and animated films) into Park City, Utah. Sundance Film Festival was established to support independent filmmakers within United States and abroad and explore the corresponding scene. Independent film now was celebrated internationally… a small scale cinematography venue it grew into a major media covered global film event.

It was no glamour party, but an assembly of professionalism, creative spirit and distinguished talents among which one of us – Armenians was celebrated with an award…

Anna Melikyan was granted a World Cinema Directing Award for dramatic film at 2008 Sundance film festival for her feature film Mermaid – a comedy–drama with a deep concept and a surrealistic portrait of a modern Moscow City.

A twice full length film director, Anna has already been noticed. She was selected a “top ten director to watch” by Variety Magazine even before the awards. And the film was instantly named Russian “Amelie” – a quite flattering comparison to all but its director – well, true, why should we seek to compare…?

Half of Anna’s prizes have “special” in their title. The prizes are many…and she indeed is special. But this award is significant not only in its name but in what it represents to us – Armenians. Anna is the first Armenian film director from an Ex Soviet country to walk the red carper presenting a film at Sundance festival. And the pioneer she brought victory to represented Russia (where she currently lives and creates) and pride to Armenia – her motherland.

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