- Date of Release: 08 September 2023
- Genre: Drama
- Language: Armenian, English
Amerikatsi
Introduction
The new year 2024 has been a good time for me at the movies particularly as I have been covering some of the best films from World Cinema. And as a part of our Oscar Nominated Films under the Foreign Language category, I finished watching the new Armenian film Amerikatsi which is Armenia’s Official Selection to the Academy Awards this year. This film.also marks my first brush with Armenian cinema, a country whose culture I know very little of. And the theme of Amerikatsi was exactly that, of learning the culture in a seemingly dark comedy that immediately transported me to the incredible film Jojo Rabbit.
The 20th century has been a significant one for humanity simply because much of the major world events did take place during this period. As a result, the world is primarily aware of some of the major events like the twin World Wars but the smaller events pertaining to specific countries is a slightly more unknown territory. And Amerikatsi is centered around one such true event wherein so many American-Armenians made their way back to their homeland, only to be left disappointed with the remains of their country which was then under the Soviet rule. This did seem an interesting subject for me, and I ventured into the film Amerikatsi with a lot of hope. So then does Amerikatsi manage to impress, let’s find out.
Story & Screenplay
Based on true events, Amerikatsi follows the story of a protagonist who returns to his homeland, 30 years after escaping to the US, only to find his country crushed under the Soviet Rule. And in a turn of events, he finds himself in jail too until he finds out a small window overseeing an apartment. Is there hope left for him? The story here is a black comedy laced with a lot of emotions that does make for a heartfelt watch. There is a genuine sense of nostalgia that slowly begins to creep in as the tale unfolds that engulfs you right at the end. The emotions are pure scattered through its screenplay standing at a shade under 2 hours that exudes of bouts of pain while focusing only on the point of view of the protagonist. As a result, you are well invested in his journey and his emotions.
The drama opens by setting a brief context of how the Armenian clan was forced to escape their homeland in the 1910s wherein a young protagonist finds himself in the midst of the action. He is traumatized by the death of his mother, a point that is used as a reference at a later point in the film. Soon, the drama takes a 30 year old leap with now the protagonist, all grown up(actually middle aged) returns to his homeland from the US only to find his country crushed with the Soviet rule at the helm of it. It is worth emphasizing here that US and USSR did not share cordial relations, with their issues being traced back even till this date. As a result, in a strange but funny turn of events, the protagonist finds himself behind bars for a crime that could be attributed to ‘Cosmopolitanism’. But there is a ray of hope for him in the form of a window overseeing an apartment of an Armenian couple.
The proceedings are engrossing and intricate particularly with respect to the relationship that the protagonist shares with a guard(whose apartment he oversees through the window in his cell). There is almost no real communication medium right throughout, with moments of silence to begin with that slowly translates into glances of acknowledgement that acts as an ice breaker. For the protagonist, the window symbolized hope, a medium that he could return to after a day of torture, something that mostly unfolds offscreen. Yet, this new found medium is more about the nostalgia of Armenian culture, something that the protagonist yearns for.
The events in the second act are slightly repetitive but it accentuates the bond that the protagonist shares with his fellow countryman. The emotions here are used as an undercurrent that tactfully accumulate before imploding in the final act which is a little more eventful in terms of the urgency. Yet, I did feel that the final act in itself was a little more convenient and simplistic although the emotions more than made up for it, while hitting home beautifully. The lines of dedication at the end melt your heart ever so gently. Overall, the screenplay is well written and a nice little ‘window’ into the Armenian culture with undertones of black comedy and some accumulated emotions.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are sparingly used with the emphasis being on the prolonged moments of silence. But the lines spread over three languages add moments of authenticity to the drama. The BGM is subtle but impactful while beautifully blending with the drama. The cinematography had a bit of a task up its sleeves because it had to balance the comic undertones of the drama with tight frames of claustrophobia owing to the setting. And the frames are indeed impactful. The editing is crisp and sharp throughout the film. Director Michael Goorjian tactfully creates a world with dollops of dark but playful humour while slowly tilting it in the heartfelt space. And as an underlying layer, there are traces of emotions waiting to trickle out while the director creates several moments of nostalgia to aide the trickle. The direction os splendid here.
Performances
The performances are excellent here. Nelly Uvarova as Sona is a gentle and heartfelt character that makes her presence felt, wonderfully well. Mikhail Trukhin as Dmitry is first rate and there are hints of humour thrown in, in a character with a tough exterior. Hovik Keuchkerian as Tigran delivers a sincere and an earnest performance while leaving a lingering impact even with little to no lines provided to him. Michael Goorjian as Charlie is excellent almost appearing as playful to begin with while expressing beautifully through his eyes thst speak a thousand words. You are emotionally invested in his performance because of the amount of emotions that he brings to the table in a towering act.
Conclusion
Armenia’s Official Entry to the Academy Awards this year, Amerikatsi is a heartfelt comedy-drama centered around culture and identity that makes for a wonderful watch.