Testimonials

2005

Thanks to you and to all who together with you put their energy into your festival! You could organize such a festival about which I couldn’t even dream a month ago. I couldn’t imagine that such a festival could exist in Yerevan. You made a very pleasant surprise to me and I think to all your guests. I congratulate you with your big step forward, a step which most of the festivals manage to make in many-many years… Or maybe you have wings and your wings brought you to amazing results and success? …

…Today in Europe films are spoken about only as products for sale, as source of money. But we want to see a film as an artistic value. So thanks to such film directors as Abbas Kiarostami and Harutyun Khachatryan, thanks that they exist…

Ludmila Cvikova, film-critic, Rotterdam International Film Festival Programmer, The Netherlands

“I wanted to thank you so much for the Yerevan Golden Apricot Festival. You made us feel so welcome, and it was like heaven to be in a city the size of Yerevan, full of such activity, after the monster that is Tehran. It was a fascinating week and an excellent time to explore.”

Abbas Kiarostami, film director, Iran

“I congratulate you on a terrific event, which showed no signs of being such a new kid on the block, and thank you for your incredible hospitality. I had a really good time, love Yerevan and definitely want to see more of Armenia.”

Sheila Whitaker, film critic, Great Britain

“Just a short letter to thank you for the fantastic week I was given in Yerevan. Especially of my birthday you made an unforgettable event!
Please send my best regards to everybody involved and especially to the mayor, the presidents and all the others. I foresee a big and beautiful future for your nice and sympathetic festival.”

Jos Stelling, film director, International Jury member, The Netherlands

“It was a fantastic opportunity for me to be part of the 2nd Golden Apricot. I thank all the fantastic people who were working to make this festival
become a success. Thanks to all the volunteers.”

Suzanne Khardalian, film director, Sweden

“It is difficult to find the words to explain our feelings. We are very proud and excited for this award.”
Yervant Gianikian & Angela Ricci Lucchi, film directors, Italy

Jury Special Prize winners

“Wanted to thank you for the most wonderful festival and providing us an opportunity to see your beautiful country and culture. Our road trip in the countryside of Armenia was, to say the least, amazing.
Can't wait to come back again. Meanwhile hope to meet you again sooner than next year!”

Nishtha Jain, Smriti Nevatia, film directors, India

“It took me a long time and still am not sure i am fully recovered from the so overwhelming experience of Golden Apricot. I don't have the words to describe my feelings and especially my thanks to you and all the good people who hosted me so generously in Yerevan. The materials I gathered while filming in Yerevan and in the countryside and the surprising meeting with the new Armenia, its people, culture and history may place Armenia well into my new documentary project on the last century of Genocides - as a brilliant example of resilient and unbelievably proud nation that overcame Genocide and operation for so long and is still thriving and living and exploring new horizons with even greater strength and free spirit.”

Erez Yanuv Barzilay, film director, Canada

“I would like to express my best grateful for your kind hospitality in very impressive Golden apricot film festival. I can’t forget Yerevan as center of beauty and kindness, as a city of Parajanov, as city of protagonists of world cinema.”

Siddiq Barmak, film director, Afghanistan

“Thank you for the award letter.
I am very glad being in Yerevan. I had very nice important experiences there. Please thank for me to everybody????
Hoping to colaborate and share many things in future.”.

Yesim Ustaoglu, film director, Turkey
Prize of the Armenian Association of Film Critics and Cinema Journalists for the Best Feature Film

“Congratulations for making a very successful festival in only your second year and we wish you all the very best for the third. I really did enjoy the competition selection, it was indeed of a very high standard. Thank you too for a marvelous jury. You are doing very important work!
Thank you too for all the generosity and friendliness of your staff ! We felt very well looked after at all times.”

Simon Field, producer and festival programmer, Great Britain

“I am thrilled to hear the news about my award, and my excitement is matched only by my dismay that I was not present at the festival to receive it.
This is a great honor for me and an enormously important acknowledgment both personally and professionally.”
Vaughan Pilikian, film director, Great Britain
Winner of the Best Documentary Film - Golden Apricot

“The second Yerevan Golden Apricot Film Festival brought a strong response from the international fest crowd, portending a bright future for the event, held July 12-17 in the Armenian capital. Though still small in scale, it has already positioned itself as a regional contender in the Caucasus and a link with Russia and the Mideast.”

Deborah Young, Variety film critic, USA

2006

Words fail me, but I want to let you know how honored I was to participate with so many gracious and intelligent people at the festival in Yerevan. Thanks so much to yourself, Harutyun, and the extraordinary crew — I can only say that in my opinion, it was an outstanding success, and the only disappointment was that I had to leave! I hope we can stay in touch.

Godfrey Reggio, flm director, USA,
Documentary Jury President

Marziyeh and I would like to thank you for your hospitality during our stay in your lovely festival.
We enjoyed spending time in such a energetic City with lots of fans of cinema.
I wish you and your festival all the bests.
With warmest regards,

Mohsen Makhmalbaf, film director, Iran

It is me who has to say thank you to all of you great people there at the Golden Apricot Festival! It was a wonderful time with you in Yerevan and I was really happy to be there, to meet nice and friendly people and (last but not least) to win these great prize!
So, thanks to you for your work, everything worked so well! Thanks also to the whole festival crew and specially to Harutyun!
All the best to you and I hope to see you again at one of your next festivals!
A nice summertime to you and best wishes!

Andreas Dresen, film director, Germany

Dear Harutyun,
We finally got back to Berlin to plunge in a heat wave worse that the hot weather of Yerevan, but full of great memories from Armenia. Indeed, our participation at your festival, not to mention the rediscovering of a free Armenia, has been one of the most rewarding experienced for us in a long time. You treated us like kings, so much that we felt a bit guilty about it and hope we did not abuse of your generosity or that of your colleagues. We would like to thank you from the deepest of our heart for this marvelous experience.
We miss Armenia now,

Moritz and Erica de Hadeln

2007

Back in Vienna I wanted to thank you again for the wonderful opportunity to join you in Yerevan and to participate in this year's Golden Apricot Film Festival. It was a great and very rewarding encounter!
I was impressed by the festival’s film program and overwhelmed by the friendliness, the warmth and the generosity that I experienced.
I would like to extend warm greetings to all the people in your team, who have admirably succeeded to make me feel welcome in Armenia and to make my stay in Yerevan memorable.
All the best from Vienna,

Martin Schweighofer, Austrian Film Commission managing director,
Documentary Jury President

I would like to thank you, your staff and your country for having
invited me and my film SUDDHA (The Cleansing Rites) to the festival.
It was an honor to have screened the film to the Armenians.
In my brief stay in Yerevan, I found that the Armenians are very
conscious of their culture and therefore are very receptive to other
cultures. This was very much reflected in the film festival and the
films that were selected.
I wish the coming versions of the film festival a success.

Ramchandra Rau, film director, India

Thank you very much for your warm congratulations.
We are very proud having won the Golden Apricot.
This is the first prize our film Import Export has got!

Ulrich Seidl, film director, Austria

Thank you for the photos, they remind me great days...
Your festival has been something special, excellent cinema festival, but also has been the chance of making good friends. I’m really happy of have known all of you.
Hope to be in contact with you, and I wish you all the luck in life.
kisses

Raul de la Fuente, film director, Spain

It has been more than one month since your beautiful film festival.
Thank you for your hospitality during my stay in Yerevan. I can't forget the good peoples whom I met there, the films, the streets of Yerevan and the mountain Ararat.
What is most impressive is the enthusiasm of you and the festival staffs to build national film through interrelationship with the current world cinema.
I believe Armenia is going to have prominent films dealing with your history and the story of your people.
I have to express my appreciation for the retrospective of Lee Chang Dong.
May I expect some films in the next year's Yerevan Film Festival?
I'm very happy to join your festival which must be a goof forum to find way to build your cinema.
I'm looking forward to the news your festival get more and more advanced, especially under the abundant support by your government.
(Not only film work but also film festivals need money, isn't it?)

Cheong-sook An, Feature Jury President