The fact of screening a film made by the Azerbaijani author in the festival brought about protests, mostly expressed in the form of Facebook statuses and debates. However, the film was shown at the Moscow cinema in Yerevan and one of the city pubs.

 

Citizen - To my mind, artists are freer. I have not seen this film, and I have no negative opinion. If the film raised any anti-Armenian issue, I would agree to the protest, if not, I am against politicizing this issue.

 

Citizen – I do not see anything bad in it, since art is art. 

 

Citizen – That is a mistake, since art needs to somehow be separated from politics, and it is a very joyous fact to me that the film made by an Azerbaijani director was well received and positively responded to in my surroundings.

 

Susanna Harutyunyan – We have created a platform for Armenian-Turkish film production within which young Armenian and Turkish directors, devoid of any stereotypes and restraints, are open to dialogue and are ready to discuss any issue, facing each other. These people can sit at a table and shoot a film together.

The nationality of the film director should not ever be a hindrance to us or a ground for screening or not screening a film. And the wave that rose around one Azerbaijani movie, was unfounded, for the film was selected due to its quality, it is a good one. 

 

Citizen – I have not personally watched the film, but I think that it was worth a prize if it was awarded one.

 

Citizen – To me art and politics are separate phenomena, hence I do not have any special negative attitude. 

 

Citizen – This is a festival, this is art, and it should not be politicized. I could understand the anxiety of the Azerbaijanis that their film will be screened at our festival, but we should not worry in this regard.

 

Susanna Harutyunyan - We never aim to screen or not to screen Turkish films or films made in other countries, the objective is to bring the general image of cinematography to the Golden Apricot, so that this image matched the development trends of international cinematography.

 

Citizen -  I agree. Why should it have been screened here? I am aggressive regarding such issues, because of their behavior. If they think that there was no Armenia, and even the Ejmiadzin used to be theirs, how can an Armenian watch what they make? Even though they say that film is from Germany, however the idea came from an Azerbaijani, didn’t it? And if we go deeper into the issue, maybe he would say there were no Armenians, right? How can I tell my children and my grandchildren: “You know, they are our friends?” If they are hostile to us, we should be such in response.

 

Susanna Harutyunyan – Isn’t the mission of the festival to break stereotypes? So that the audience will decide which film they will watch and which not. 

 

Citizen – I think that art is universal and it does not matter whether the director is Azerbaijani or not. 

 

Susanna Harutyunyan – Ever since its first year, the “Golden Apricot” has operated under the slogan of “Crossroads of Cultures and Civilizations”.  Then let’s sustain the role and format of those crossroads.