Friends!

Today is the birthday of outstanding Armenian and Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov.

He was born in a family of antique dealer, was the third child in the family. His father Joseph dreamed that his children will continue his work. But Sergei fell in love with cinema. Father could not forgive his son, was offended of him all his life. And family talent once saved Parajanov – when he had no work, he resaled antiques.

Paradjanov’s career began in Tbilisi State Conservatoire, then he moved to study to Moscow. There he graduated from the directing department of VGIK. After training he was sent to the Kiev studio feature films as director.

The main peral in worklist of Sergei Paradjanov, which brought international recognition to the director was the motion picture "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors". I think you all know this wonderful film, which received 39 international awards, 28 awards at film festivals in twenty-one countries. So I will tell you some interesting facts about it, you might not know. Last known molfar Nechay Michael, who lived in Ivano-Frankivsk consulted Parajanov about Hutsul traditions. Moreover, he later admitted that international recognition of "Shadows" was made by molfar spell.

Sergei Paradjanov just wanted to experience the life of western Ukrainian people, so he refused to live in a hotel, just settled among the Hutsul. They became friends with the director, gave him embroidered shirts, icons, treated Banu. He brought them "Kiev"cakes and taught to cook dolma.

A premiere of the legendary film was generally thwarted. On the 4th of September , 1965 in the cinema "Ukraine" all listened with a sinking to the Parajanov introductory word when the word took Dziuba - known public figure. Vyacheslav Chornovil and Vasyl Stus were with him. They announced the arrests of Ukrainian intellectuals. Show has become the first public protest against Soviet rule. From this affected not only the protesters, but the authors of the picture - it was forbidden for a long time. And Paradjanov was not even angry, he supported the position of the protesters.

For this he started to chase, so he had to go to Armenia. He returned to Kyiv in 1971 and for several years was arrested and sentenced for "homosexuality." But in fact the sentence was about "Ukrainian nationalism." The only one who publicly testified against Parajanov was "a member of the Communist Party." Others flatly refused. Architect Michael Senin, whom the KGB forced to support the slander committed suicide.

Parajanov released from prison by the artists who imbued his fate. Its told that "muse of Russian avant-garde" Lilya Brik personally asked Leonid Brezhnev about the dismissal of the director. In addition, famous Western artists signed an appeal on his behalf. Government banned him to live in Ukraine, Living in so he moved to Tbilisi.

At the end of the life of the artist was suffering from lung cancer. "Everyone knows that I have three homelands. I was born in Georgia, worked in Ukraine and in Armenia I am going to die, "- he said. Sergei Paradjanov really died in Yerevan, and his wife and son left in Kiev.

Sergei Parajanov left us immortal films that we always have to remember, and increasingly view.