One of the best films made in Armenia. Kamin Ounaynoutian (The Wind of Vanity in Armenian) is the title of the famous song of Ruben Hakhverdian - the poet and composer. He is playing himself. Touring along dying Soviet Union, meeting friends emigrated from their land, he tries to understand the personal motives that brought those people to disharmony with their native society. Good camera work, interesting "pro- documentary" style and wonderful songs of Ruben.
2 Reviews
The Best Documentation of a Song
Haynoosh17 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this film in December in Yerevan during a retrospective look on Harutyun Khachatryan's films.
I had already seen his recent films "Documentarist" and "Return of the poet",and was anxious to see his early ones.
Written by Harutyun Khachatryan and Mikayel Stamboltsyan and filmed in 1990 in a period of political changes and turmoil in Armenia ,"Qamin unaynutyan"(Wind of Oblivion)carries the title of a well-known song by famous Armenian singer and songwriter Ruben Hakhverdyan,who to our surprise happened to be the central character of the film.
Although the title was indicative of the song but appearing before us, on the screen, the familiar face of Ruben,who like a documentarist depicts in his songs all the layers of life in Yerevan,was like a real bonus.
But the only scene in which Ruben appears on the stage is in the beginning,where he sings with the guitar in his hand outside the opera house in front of an enthusiastic crowd gathered, demanding the independence of Armenia from Soviet Union. The rest of the film is a journey which he makes with his reserved and recluse friend who is also seriously ill,searching friends who due to the unstable political and economical situation in Armenia have fled to different parts of Russia.
And how comforting is the discovery that Ruben's songs are not artificial and pretentious,but the product of his suffering and struggle to reconstruct a city in which "Armenians were living a decent life",with the hope of bringing back the most precious asset of a city,its people.
Each scene contains fragments of his songs,the vagabonds seeking refuge in the arms of prostitutes and bottles of wine,wandering,hungry dogs,which would become the only companions of their new owners...
This seems to be like a commentary on Ruben's songs rather than Khachatryan's film,but that's exactly what this film is,the documentation of Ruben's songs,"Qamin unaynutyan"(Wind of oblivion)in particular.
What amazes one is that you can't really tell the fact from the fiction,the camera follows them in each step,chasing the look of an ill man staring at the death of a fish longing for sea,eavesdropping patiently on the doorsteps of the gloomy hut of a friend who has come to terms with himself by choosing to live in the harsh taiga.
The conversation flows so easily,sounding at times like a roar and at other times a whisper,that's how long lost Armenians talk when they meet each other after a long time!They talk about identity,freedom,meaning of life...
No matter how far Ruben goes, he's not able to make peace with the idea of leaving Armenia.For him there is only one place in which one can feel fulfilled,and that's the homeland.
He returns to Armenia along with the coffin of his ill friend,witnessing the demolition of the damaged buildings of Soviet era,his face disappearing in the smoke,or his own despair?
What will remain after the smoke is gone?
A cinema house and an audience to share the experience with.
I had already seen his recent films "Documentarist" and "Return of the poet",and was anxious to see his early ones.
Written by Harutyun Khachatryan and Mikayel Stamboltsyan and filmed in 1990 in a period of political changes and turmoil in Armenia ,"Qamin unaynutyan"(Wind of Oblivion)carries the title of a well-known song by famous Armenian singer and songwriter Ruben Hakhverdyan,who to our surprise happened to be the central character of the film.
Although the title was indicative of the song but appearing before us, on the screen, the familiar face of Ruben,who like a documentarist depicts in his songs all the layers of life in Yerevan,was like a real bonus.
But the only scene in which Ruben appears on the stage is in the beginning,where he sings with the guitar in his hand outside the opera house in front of an enthusiastic crowd gathered, demanding the independence of Armenia from Soviet Union. The rest of the film is a journey which he makes with his reserved and recluse friend who is also seriously ill,searching friends who due to the unstable political and economical situation in Armenia have fled to different parts of Russia.
And how comforting is the discovery that Ruben's songs are not artificial and pretentious,but the product of his suffering and struggle to reconstruct a city in which "Armenians were living a decent life",with the hope of bringing back the most precious asset of a city,its people.
Each scene contains fragments of his songs,the vagabonds seeking refuge in the arms of prostitutes and bottles of wine,wandering,hungry dogs,which would become the only companions of their new owners...
This seems to be like a commentary on Ruben's songs rather than Khachatryan's film,but that's exactly what this film is,the documentation of Ruben's songs,"Qamin unaynutyan"(Wind of oblivion)in particular.
What amazes one is that you can't really tell the fact from the fiction,the camera follows them in each step,chasing the look of an ill man staring at the death of a fish longing for sea,eavesdropping patiently on the doorsteps of the gloomy hut of a friend who has come to terms with himself by choosing to live in the harsh taiga.
The conversation flows so easily,sounding at times like a roar and at other times a whisper,that's how long lost Armenians talk when they meet each other after a long time!They talk about identity,freedom,meaning of life...
No matter how far Ruben goes, he's not able to make peace with the idea of leaving Armenia.For him there is only one place in which one can feel fulfilled,and that's the homeland.
He returns to Armenia along with the coffin of his ill friend,witnessing the demolition of the damaged buildings of Soviet era,his face disappearing in the smoke,or his own despair?
What will remain after the smoke is gone?
A cinema house and an audience to share the experience with.
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