Namus (film) explained

Namus
Director:	Hamo Beknazarian
Starring:	Hovhannes Abelian Hasmik
Cinematography:	Sergei Zabozlayev
Studio:	Armenfilm Sakhkinmretsvi
Runtime:	62 minutes
Country:	Soviet Union
Language:	Armenian (1960s voiced version)

Namus (Armenian: Նամուս, meaning "honor") is a 1925 silent drama film by Hamo Beknazarian,^[1] based on Alexander Shirvanzade's 1885 novel of the same name,^[2] which denounces the despotic rites and customs of Caucasian families.^{[3] [4] [5]} It is widely recognized as the first Armenian feature film.^{[6] [7]}

History

Background

The Armenfilm studio was founded two years later, on 16 April 1923 as the State Cinema Organisation.^[8] Hamo Beknazarian, who was an actor prior to the 1917 Revolution, became actively involved in directing films after the Bolsheviks took over.^[9] Namus became his first notable work as a director.

Production and reaction

Namus was first premiered in Yerevan's Nairi Theatre on 13 April 1926. On 3 October of the same year, the film was presented in Moscow.^[10] A poster in Leningrad in 1926 called Namus the "biggest blockbuster of the season". When asked about the film, Hamo Beknazarian said "I wanted to set the power of custom in the pillory, that stupid force of the concept of "father's honor". The film had incredible success and brought Beknazarian to fame in the Soviet Union, which helped him in his later works, making him the founder of Armenian cinematography.^[11]

Restoration

The first attempt to restore the film was made in the 1960s, when it was voiced. In 2005 Namus was digitally restored by Franco-German network Arte.^{[12] [13] [14]} This version was first shown in Cinéma Le Balzac in Paris in November 2005^[13] and then in Moscow Cinema in Yerevan in April 2010.^[12]

Plot

The story is set in the Caucasian city of Shemakhi, which was a provincial town in pre-revolutionary Russia. The love story involves Seyran, a son of a potter, who secretly meets with Susan, to whom he is engaged. The Armenian customs didn't tolerate this and strictly prohibited such behavior. When a neighbor catches them during one of their secret meetings, rumors of their actions spread around the neighborhood and her family decides to marry her to another man, in order to restore the family's honor. They choose Rustam, a rich merchant, for Susan to marry. Seyran slanders Susan by saying that he owns her. Rustam kills Susan, considered himself disgraced by Seyran's actions. At the end, Seyran commits suicide upon hearing about his lover's death.^[10]

Cast

• Hovhannes Abelian as Barkhudar
• Hasmik as Mariam
• Olga Maysurian (hy) as Gyulnaz
• Hrachia Nersisyan as Rustam
• Avet Avetisian (hy, ru) as Hayrapet
• Nina Manucharyan as Shpanik
• Samvel Mkhrtchian (hy) as Seyran
• Maria Shahbutian-Tatieva as Susan
• Hambartsum Khachanyan as Badal
• Levon Aleksanian as Susambar
• Gayane Beknazarian as Sanam
• Amasi Martirosyan as Smbat
• Mikayel Garagash (hy) as shopkeeper
• Husik Muradian (hy) as dancing child
• Elizaveta Adamian as Mariam's friend
• Tigran Shamirkhanian (hy) as a Zurna blower
• Armen Gulakian (hy) in episodes
• Pahare (hy) as pub owner

See also

• Namus (the concept)
• Cinema of Armenia

Notes and References

1. Book: Cowe, S. Peter . Nishan . Parlakian . Modern Armenian drama : an anthology. 2000. Columbia University Press. New York. 9780231116305. 131.
2. Cowe, 2000; Introduction
3. Book: Lawton, Anna. The Red Screen: Politics, Society, Art in Soviet Cinema. 1992. Psychology Press. London. 9780415078191. 310.
4. Web site: Namus. Yerevan International Film Festival. 18 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006141230/http://www.gaiff.am/en/films/namus/. 6 October 2014. dead.
5. Book: Hovannisian. Richard G.. The Armenian people from ancient to modern times. 2004. St. Martin's Press. New York, NY. 9781403964229. 1. paperback. 357.
6. Book: Rosenfeld. Alla. Defining Russian graphic arts: from Diaghilev to Stalin, 1898-1934. 1999. Rutgers Univ. Press. New Brunswick, N.J.. 9780813526041. 154.
7. Book: Kino: A History of the Russian and Soviet Film. George Allen & Unwin. Jay Leyda. 1960. 190. Jay Leyda.
8. Book: Rollberg, Peter. Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema. Rowman & Littlefield. 2008. 56 - 59. 978-0-8108-6072-8.
9. Book: Richard . Taylor. The BFI companion to Eastern European and Russian cinema. 2000. British Film Inst.. London. 9780851707525. Repr.. 30.
10. Web site: ru:Намус. http://www.kino-teatr.ru/kino/movie/sov/14457/annot/. kino-teatr.ru. 18 October 2012. ru.
11. News: Karoghlanian. Armen. From the Vault: The Birth of Culture in Namus. https://archive.today/20130210005237/http://yerevanmagazine.com/from-the-vault-the-significance-of-culture-in-namus/. dead. 10 February 2013. 19 October 2012. Yerevan Magazine.
12. Web site: Eghiazaryan. Artavazd. "Намус" – в кинотеатрe "Москва". Yerevan.ru. 18 October 2012. 4 April 2010. ru. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120827034316/http://yerevan.ru/2010/04/09/namus-v-letnem-zale-kinoteatra-%E2%80%9Cmoskva%E2%80%9D/. 27 August 2012.
13. Web site: hy:"Նամուս". Պահպանենք "Մոսկվա" կինոթատրոնի ամառային դահլիճը. http://ankakh.com/2010/04/32389/. Ankakh. 18 October 2012. 23 April 2010. hy. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100630150135/http://ankakh.com/2010/04/32389/. 30 June 2010.
14. Web site: Namous. Arte. 20 October 2012. 12 September 2005. de.