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2020 is a jubilee year for Henrik Malyan Theater of Cinema Artists, as it marks the 95th birthday anniversary of prominent Armenian filmmaker Henrik Malyan and the theater’s 40th anniversary.

"It's a responsible year," Narine Malyan, the artistic director of Henrik Malyan Theater of Cinema Artists, told Panorama.am in an interview.

According to her, the theater plans to organize various events both in Armenia and abroad this year, including premieres, meetings and readings of Malyan’s works.

“I think we will receive state support. I don't think there are many film directors as Malyan: his films are eternal and loved in many countries. Armenia has been recognized though Malyan’s very films. His films have been screened at numerous international festivals,” the artistic director said.

Narine Malyan did not elaborate on the specific programs, but stressed that these two important anniversaries will be properly celebrated.

Henrik Malyan Theater of Cinema Artists toured in Russia and France in 2019. The tours were held as part of the state-sponsored jubilee program marking the 150th anniversary of Hovhannes Tumanyan and Komitas. The Armenian Embassies in Russia and France also supported the theater.

“Our performances both in Russia and France were well received by the audience. I cannot describe the joy, excitement and enthusiasm the audience expressed,” she said.

The artistic director highlighted the fact that the theater performed the plays in Armenian.

“In Moscow there were many children who didn’t speak Armenian well, but they watched the performance with great attention and joy,” she said. “‘Tumanyan's Fairy Tales’ is a performance that can probably find place in the Guinness World Records. We have performed the work directed by Henrik Malyan for 39 years already, it can be considered a classical performance. We have performed it in different countries across the world and participated in festivals. It has been understood everywhere, because it’s based on Tumanyan's genius text and directed by Malyan.”

According to Narine Malyan, the theater performed the play in Paris, Issy-les-Moulineaux and Alfortville, in attendance of Armenian Ambassador to France Hasmik Tolmajyan and the embassy staff.

“The Paris performance mostly attracted adult audience, who couldn’t keep laughing throughout it. The play is staged in a way that it features some subtleties that adults may perceive better,” she noted.