Court bans screenings of Tigran Paskevichyan`s film "Our Path to  Independence," including in-theater screenings

ArmInfo.  The court has ruled out any possibility of screening Tigran Paskevichyan's film "Our Path to Independence," including in-theater screenings. The film's director, Tigran Paskevichyan, wrote this on his Facebook page.

"The pathetic public television company, which has banned and refused  to show my film "Our Path to Independence" for five and a half years,  has, through the courts, ruled out any possibility of screening it,  including in-theater screenings," he wrote.

The director noted that only those who hate their own country's  history and achievements are capable of such a petty act. "When I say  'public television,' I certainly don't mean petty officials-the main  hater is above them. The main hater is someone who has been  encroaching on history, sacred sites, and values for a long time (an  intolerably long time)," Paskevichyan explained.

At the same time, he noted that he is far from despairing, but has  become accustomed to waiting and patience.

In this regard, the director recalled that another of his films, "The  Lost Spring of Armenia," was rejected not only by public television  but by all other television channels as well, but 10 years later it  was finally shown on the public television channel.

"This film will also be aired soon, very soon, when we send the petty  and hypocritical government officials to their appointed place,"  Paskevichyan noted. He noted that what outraged him most about this  story was the court's decision ordering him to pay 40,000 drams,  although he takes it calmly, as he was taught to be merciful from  childhood.

"Therefore, by paying 40,000 drams, I consider myself to be showing  mercy to Ara Shirinyan (former chairman of the Public Television of  Armenia), Vasak Darbinyan (current chairman), Aramazd Ghalamkaryan  (chairman of the Water Committee), and David Karapetyan (Secretary  General of the Armenian Foreign Ministry). The latter two were the  initiators and supporters of the film "Our Path to Independence" and,  I am sure, will not express any attitude now," the filmmaker stated.

It should be noted that Tigran Paskevichyan's film "Our Path to  Independence" tells the story of the events of the late 1980s and  early 1990s associated with the Nagorno-Karabakh movement and the  declaration of independence of Armenia. Paskevichyan's previous film,  "Armenia's Lost Spring," was dedicated to the events of March 1,  2008. In an interview, he said that this film also encountered  difficulties finding screening locations. The director noted that  similar restrictions existed under Presidents Robert Kocharyan and  Serzh Sargsyan, but the current situation is unprecedented.