The solemn opening ceremony of the 14^th Golden Apricot International Film Festival was heralded with the showing of a video dedicated to the memory of beloved film director Ruben Gevorgyants and a moment of silence.

The opening ceremony was held at Moscow Cinema on July 9.

“A couple of days ago, we lost great film director and our good friend Ruben Gevorgyants, who created significant films and was always with us,” founding director of Golden Apricot International Film Festival Harutyun Khachatryan stated, according to Armenpress.

Several foreign guests, ambassadors, art lovers and state officials were attending the opening ceremony.

RA Minister of Culture Armen Amiryan stated that he was more than pleased with the fact that foreigners would have the opportunity to learn about the dreams and wishes of different nations through picturesque films to be shown throughout the next couple of days in Armenia.

“The Government of the Republic of Armenia pays special attention to the development of cinema. The government has developed a special concept paper on that and a law on cinema. We are trying to encourage private investors to provide funds to film studios to obtain technologies. We are also introducing new educational and training programs in Armenia, and we are certain that the projects that the Government of the Republic of Armenia has carried out, will make Armenia very attractive for all cinematographers of the world,” Amiryan emphasized in his opening remarks.

Amiryan expressed confidence that cinema will play a major role in the advancement of the government’s model of capitalization of culture. “It will be the locomotive of the film “Arrival of the Train at the Station” by the Lou Brothers and will help culture advance,” the Minister concluded.

The opening ceremony featured musical performances by jazzman Vahagn Hayrapetyan and his band.

The opening ceremony was followed by the screening of Hamo Beknazaryan’s film “Khaspush”.

Established in 2004 by the Golden Apricot Foundation for Development of Cinema and the Armenian Association of Film Critics and Film Journalists, the Golden Apricot International Film Festival is one of the biggest cultural events in Yerevan. The founders of the film festival are the general director, film director Harutyun Khachatryan; program director, film critic Mikayel Stamboltsyan and artistic director, film critic Susanna Harutyunyan.