31 May 2023
On May 25 the 4K restored version of Frunze Dovlatyan's "Hello, It’s Me" (1965) was premiered in the "Cannes Classics" section of the 76th Cannes International Film Festival, reaffirming our commitment to be presented in line with the great masters of the film world: Jean-Luc Godard, Yasujiro Ozu, Man Ray and Alfred Hitchcock. This manifestation is of unprecedented importance in terms of the international promotion of Armenian culture and Armenian cinema.
In fact, half a century later this is a glorious comeback of the film to the world's most prestigious film festival, where back in 1966 it was included in the competition program.
The digital restoration of the film was commissioned by the National Cinema Center of Armenia with the financial support of the "Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund; the restoration work was conducted by the Latvian "Locomotive Classics" studio from the original negative of the film. The film was presented to the audience by the Head of the "Cannes Classics" section Gerald Duchaussoy, the Head of the Film Heritage Department of the National Cinema Center of Armenia Vigen Galstyan and the specialist on Soviet cinema Joel Chapron in the presence of the director of the Cinema Center Shushanik Mirzakhanyan, the director of the "Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund Haykak Arshamyan and the director of the "Locomotive Classics" studio, Roberts Vinovskis.
Honorary Ambassador of Armenia to France Hasmik Tolmajyan was also present at the screening. Prior to the screening, an Agreement was signed between the National Cinema Center of Armenia and the French MK2 company, according to which the film will be presented on various international platforms.
N.B. Participation of the National Cinema Center of Armenia in the 76th Cannes International Film Festivals’ Marche du Film market is realized within the framework of the state jubilee program of the 100th anniversary of Armenian cinema, implemented with the state financial support of the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.
