The Hamo Beknazaryan "Hayfilm" Studio presents:
THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES
Author of the Film: Sergei Parajanov
Director of Photography: Suren Shahbazyan
Production Designer: Stepan Andranikyan
Music: Tigran Mansurian
First Assistant Director: A. Samvelyan
Second Assistant Director: R. Zhamharyan
Sound Operator: Yu. Sayadyan
Camera Operator: Martuni Shahbazyan
Costume Design: E. Akhvlediani, I. Karalyan, Zh. Sarabyan
Make-Up: P. Aschyan, V. Asatryan
Film Editing: M. Ponomarenko
Set Decoration: Mikael Arakelyan
Visual Effects: L. Karamyan, H. Hovhannisyan
Script Editors: Bagrat Hovhannisyan, Perj Zeytuntsyan
Musical Editor: M. Berko
Musical Setting: Yuri Harutunyan
Choreographer: Sergei Parajanov
Architectural Consultant: V. Jorbenadze
Jewelry Designer: A. Asaturov
Production Manager: A. Melik-Sargsyan
Poet as a Youth, Poet's Love, The Nun in White Lace, The Angel of Resurrection, The Mime:
Sofiko Chiaureli
The poet as a child: M. Alekyan
The poet in the monastery: V. Galstyan
The poet as an old man: G. Gegechkori
The Prince: Hovhannes Minasyan
Supporting cast: S. Baghashvili, M. Japaridze, G. Matsukatov,
M. Bibileishvili, G. Margaryan, L. Karamyan,
G. Gabunia, B. Mirianashvili, I. Babayan,
B. Tatishvili, Zh. Gharibyan, T. Dvali,
E. Papakhanyan, Yu. Merdenov, Yu. Amiryan
This film does not attempt to tell the life story of a poet.
Rather, the filmmaker has tried to recreate the poet's inner world
through the trepidations of his soul, his passion and torments,
widely utilising the symbolism and allegories
specific to the tradition of Ashugh, the Medieval Armenian troubadours.
I am the man whose life and soul are torment.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
On the sixth day, God said:
"Let us make mankind in our image,
in our likeness".
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created him.
Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
The Lord God took the man
and put him in the Garden of Eden
to till the soil,
and take care of the Garden.
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying...
Many have come before me, and vaguely known this amazing world,
they have extinguished and expired ahead of me.
Books must be well kept and read,
for books are Soul and Life.
Without books, the world would have witnessed nothing but ignorance.
Read aloud for the people to hear, in benefit of their souls,
for many are unable to read what is written.
From the colours and aromas of this world,
a poet's lyre my childhood did make, and offered it to me.
Saint George, we implore you, let your good fortune, your kind thoughts
spread over our family and our people. Along with your white horse,
be a stronghold for our people. Give prosperity to this family,
give them good thoughts and prosperity.
We were searching for ourselves in each other...
...has gone beyond measure.
In this healthy and beautiful life only I have been made to suffer.
Why is it so?
We were searching for a place of refuge for our Jove,
but instead, the road led us to the land of the dead.
You abandoned us and went away, but we the living wrapped you
in a cocoon, so that in your new world you would burst forth like a butterfly.
How am I to protect my wax-built castles of love
from the devouring heat of your fires?
You are fire.
You are dressed in...
You are fire.
You are dressed in...
fire.
You are fire. You are dressed in fire.
You are fire. You are dressed in black.
Which of these two fires can I endure?
Go then and find your refuge of selfless love.
I will go and search the monasteries one by one.
What is the name? What is the name?
Arutin.
Lord, have mercy.
Remember us, Lord, and have mercy on us.
Jesus Christ, Son of God, bountiful and merciful is your love,
have mercy on the soul of your servant,
the departed Arutin, who has joined you in Heaven.
Remember him on the day of your coming,
and forgive him all his sins...
Jamal, go faster!
He placed the hand of Eve into that of Adam, and Adam said:
"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman, for she was taken out of Man.
That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."
Godfather, what is your ward's name?
Arutin.
Little Arutin has come to ask to be baptised.
We baptise him in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
By the grace of the blood of Christ,
welcome him into your Father's heavenly kingdom,
so that he will be the heir to Christ
and the temple of the Jiving God.
Arutin!
Brothers of mine in soul and blood,
Heaven has sent upon us to this world, grief, grief, grief...
Brothers of mine in soul and blood, grief, inconsolable grief
has been sent to us from Heaven today.
During this night of the revelation of Saint Sarkis,
our Holy Father Lazarus has died at Etchmiadzin.
Catholicos of all Armenians,
most high amongst men and prelates.
Brothers of mine in soul and blood, grief, grief, grief...
has been sent to us from Heaven...
As a crowd of naïve victims we come from this world
to you as an offering...
Brothers of mine in soul and blood,
grief has been sent to us from Heaven, grief, grief, grief...
Brothers of mine in soul and blood, grief, inconsolable grief
has been sent to us from Heaven today.
During this night of the revelation of Saint Sarkis,
our Holy Father Lazarus has died at Etchmiadzin.
Catholicos of all Armenians,
most high amongst men and prelates.
I asked for a shroud to wrap the dead body,
instead they showed the frenzied convulsions of their living bodies.
Where can I find selfless love?
...to God, our Saviour
Like an everlasting flower unsoiled
Innocent bud
Sprung from the roots of Isaiah
We magnify you
You, whose life and body
Are spotless...
...and the power and the glory, forever and ever...
Blessed be our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Have mercy, Lord.
Jesus, hope of all life, accept our prayers,
cleanse us from our sins and grant our petitions,
accept once again our evening prayers.
Heed us, Lord. Have mercy upon us.
In the sunny valley of distant years
live my longings, my loves and my childhood.
You are fire, you are dressed in black...
I would die
I would die for your admirable mind
Loving little quail Wounded little quail
...a thousand soldiers
You hit, you were hit, you fell with courage
Persians to the right and to the left
My homeland...
Wounded little quail, quail...
Little black quail
My dear little quail
You walk up and down...
Scarlet drips the blood
The flowers in the field are stained red
The moon appears from behind the cloud
I saw everything, clear and strangely blunt,
and I understood that life had abandoned me.
We have slain the sacrificial lamb, boiled the meat,
and distributed it onto seven plates.
Come, come!
My husband and I went to Tiflis.
In the square there were baths and we went there together.
We had a nice bath.
What are you saying?
Now everybody knows we went to the baths!
Give these chickens to the virgins.
Then we wanted to have some skewers,
but somebody told us about a troubadour.
So we went see.
He was a charlatan.
As long as I live
My life is all yours, my love
Go amongst the people.
Go, and may we always hear of your triumphs,
your kind deeds and your well-being.
You are the salt of the earth,
and may the God of speech be always with you.
Go amongst the people.
Go, go.
I hear calls of homecoming and hope, but I am weary.
Who has spread all this sorrow upon this old and weary earth?
The world is a window
And I am tired of these arches
He who looks through them gets burnt
And I am tired of these burns
Yesterday was better than today
And I am weary of tomorrows
Man cannot always be the same
And I am tired of any play
Yesterday was better than today
And I am weary of tomorrows
Man cannot always be the same
And I am tired of any play
Sayat Nova said:
My suffering
has gone beyond measure.
The world is a window.
The world...
The bread you gave was beautiful, but the soil is more than beautiful.
Let me go and turn to earth. I am weary, I am weary.
Sing!
In this world...
Sing!
In this world...
Die!