Women's Happiness or Men's Dignity

Focusing on heterosexual marriages and relationships between men and women, this film examines the conflict between old rules and new possibilities, traditional patriarchy and women's emancipation. Karine Verdiyan and Nina Shek portray two women living in Armenia: an artist who divorced in order to fully devote herself to her art, acquiring freedom, but losing her position in 'proper' society; and a widow who has been subservient to her husband and their household throughout her life. Neither of the women is a suffering victim though. Both defend the choices they have made; each of them represents a given lifestyle. Rather than providing an objective portrayal of Armenian society, the juxtaposed voices of the two women create a space for dialogue. Contradictory opinions on human coexistence are shown in stark contrast. This enables the viewer to weigh the happiness brought by living in a society based on old order and ancient values against that engendered by personal freedom, even if being free means seeking a relationship based on equality, at the risk of not finding a partner.