RAU House of Culture hosts screening of film `Yasha and Leonid  Brezhnev`

ArmInfo. The House of Culture of the Russian-Armenian University (RAU) hosted a screening of the film "Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev" by the head of the creative workshop of the IMRK RAU, associate professor, film director, actor, producer and screenwriter Edgar Baghdasaryan. This was reported by the press service of the RAU.

"Today our cinema is in such a state that I would not like to talk  about it. Stylistically and dramatically, everything looks  unconvincing, and this causes me deep disappointment. That is why I came to this university, which is dear to me, to prepare new talented actors and directors for the future of our cinema", - said Edgar Baghdasaryan at the screening of the film.

"Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev" is a tragicomedy about the life of a man who devoted his entire career to working at a wastewater treatment and recycling station. A low pension and family disagreements over the location of his daughter's engagement push Yasha to deny reality. He creates his own fictional world, where he communicates with the long-dead Leonid Brezhnev. However, only Yasha sees Brezhnev, which leads to a series of comical and tragic situations.

The audience was also greeted by the director of the Institute of Media, Advertising and Cinema of the RAU, the famous writer Karen Markaryan (Mark Aren). He emphasized that when he saw the film by Edgar Baghdasaryan, he felt involved in this story.

<This work is not like many other films, especially in the  post-Soviet space - those mass-market commercial films that are watched once and forgotten. Yasha's story is capable of leaving a mark on the soul of the viewer>, - said Karen Markaryan.

According to Markaryan, many people found themselves overboard in an instant. The film's hero Yasha was neither a famous scientist, nor a famous actor, nor a writer, nor an astronaut. The director managed to show the drama of one person and an entire generation that survived the collapse of the country and the advent of a new era, new morals.

The role of Yasha in the film was played by Aramayis Sargsyan,  professor and honored artist of the Republic of Armenia, actor of the Vanadzor State Drama Theater named after Hovhannes Abelyan. He was awarded the "Anahit" award in the nomination "Best Male Role" (film "Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev").

"When I read the script, I had the feeling that it was written  especially for me. This feeling intensified when I received a call  and was invited to a meeting with the project team. Yasha is me, he is closer to my inner world. I was only thinking about whether I would be approved for this role or not. When I was told that I would be filming, I felt incredible happiness," - shared actor Aramayis Sargsyan.

Producer Karine Sahakyan noted one amazing fact: the film was incredibly warmly received by the audience in India, it was a full house.

The film was nominated by Armenia for the Oscar award in the Best Foreign Film category. The film also recently received several statuettes at the national film award Anahit: best screenplay, best director, best male role, and cinematography.