The Pain
Detail Info
Role
Creator
Date
2021
Category
Art Film
Director Statement
When the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War began, like many Armenians in the diaspora, I found myself shocked and paralyzed. Then, these feelings turned into a burst of patriotism and adrenaline. However, this soon turned into despair. My family, friends, and I were all enduring the same stages and feelings, and I quickly realized that there is no other choice left for me but to translate those feelings into visuals. The scenes one after another began appearing in my mind. I wasn’t rushing to film them, not only because the war wasn’t over, but also because of the nature of art films. An art film doesn’t like to be rushed; it has to mature.
The Pain isn’t about war. Rather, it is about how war affects those who are far away from it. War evokes the worst and best qualities in humankind. As a result of this war, every single Armenian suddenly woke up from a deep sleep. Spread around the globe, the noise Armenians made, the collective fundraising efforts created, and the overall cultural awakening that followed, were some of the most inspiring events of my life. Simultaneously, treason, chaos, and the storming of the Armenian National Assembly after the disastrous “deal” announcement were some of the most depressing and disappointing events I have ever seen.
While I served as the director of photography as well, the most complicated shots were supervised by the renowned Armenian cinematographer, Mko Malkhasyan.
The Pain is the second film of my “Art-Experimental Film Trilogy.” Currently, it is awaiting its world premiere.
On the Set
Working on The Pain was a great collaborative experience for me. I knew immediately whom I wanted to cast as my main hero: Arthur Margaryan. We tried several techniques to better understand the character’s feelings, which, in comparison to the classical cinema, are the driving force of a character in an art film. What helped the most was our mutual trust. I often found myself unable to explain to Arthur why I needed a particular shot. Still, even in times of physical discomfort, Arthur never lost his patience and trust.
Composing the Atmosphere
Working on the film score with the composer Arman Aloyan was another wonderful collaboration. Arman used the technique of reversing the sound to create the right atmosphere. For instance, in the first scene, Arman reversed the sound of the duduk, an Armenian musical instrument, and it began to sound like a siren.
The Historical Rug
The rug from the second scene was provided by Hratch Kozibeyokian, the Armenian- American distinguished expert of oriental rugs and the President of Armenian Rugs Society.