Return of the Poet

On the surface, this is a tribute from Armenia’s most notable non-fiction filmmaker to Armenian greatest poet Ashugh Jivani. Yet at the same time, it’s a love letter to their country’s rich heritage, and a critique of its divided and uncertain present. Khachatryan’s gifts as a creator of memorable visual images are seen in full flower here – some of the film’s composition are worthy of Fellini. And while it makes its political points elegantly, for those familiar with the culture, this grand, elegiac documentary functions just as well for non-natives, thanks to its magnificent rural landscapes, its stunning native music score (in particular, Avet Terteryan’s spine-tingling choral pieces), and above all, its sense of vanished world, frozen momentarily upon the screen, for our contemplation.