Today marks great Armenian filmmaker Henrik Malyan's birth anniversary
September 30 marks the 99th birthday anniversary of acclaimed Soviet Armenian filmmaker Henrik Malyan.
He was born in Telavi, Georgia, on 1925. Malyan's uncle was famous actor David Malyan. He studied chess at an early age, along with Tigran Petrosian. From 1942 to 1945, he worked as a draftsman and designer at a factory in Tbilisi. In 1951 he graduated from the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography.
Between 1951 and 1954, Malyan was a director at various theatres in Armenia. In 1953 he graduated from the Moscow Theatre Institute. From 1954 on he worked with the film studio Armenfilm.
Malyan’s 1977 drama Nahapet (Life Triumphs) is considered to be one of the most important Armenian films about the Armenian Genocide. The film was screened at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival.
In 1980 he founded the Henrik Malyan Theatre Studio for stage works.
In 1982 Malyan was named a People's Artist of the USSR.
The director passed away on March 14, 1988 aged 62.