THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL "Golden Apricot", will be held in Yerevan, June 30 - July 4. The festival is organized by the Benevolent Fund for Culture Development, the Armenian Association of Film Critics and Cinema Journalists, the Armenian Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs of RA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RA, " Moscow" Cinema.

The objectives of the festival are to present new works in the area of cinema and video art, feature films, documentaries, and animation created between 2002 and 2004. The festival includes competition and non-competition programs. The non-competition program includes retrospectives dedicated to 80th anniversaries of founding of Armenian cinema, Sergey Parajanov and Charles Aznavour, as well as best recent Swedish, Russian, German, Bulgarian films, and films from Armenian Diaspora.

A special program of video art will be presented by NPAK ( Center of Innovative Experimental Arts). About 30 film directors from around the world are invited to participate in the festival, among them such well-known figures as director Atom Egoyan and actress Arsinee Khanjian (Canada), actors Robert Guediguian and Serge Avedikian (France) etc.

ONLINE MUSEUM OF SHIRAK A new Internet page has been launched recently to present Shirak's Museum of Regional Geography. This initiative was implemented in cooperation with UNESCO. The English language page includes information on regional history, history of the museum and samples from the museum.

It is divided into 11 categories each presenting information on history, museum samples, architecture and so on. A special place is given to an archeological catalogue where 500 museum samples among 13,000 available are presented. The site is full of maps and photos. Starting June, the site will also be presented in French, Russian and Armenian languages.

ARMENIAN EPIC POEM IN UKRAINIAN The Ukrainian "Dnepro" publishing house has released the Ukrainian translation of the Armenian epic poem "David of Sasoun." It was translated by a popular poet and translator Pavlo Tichina in collaboration with Victor Kochevski. The translation took him and his co-translator about 10 years. The introductory word is written by a expert in Armenian literature, Vasil Shkliar.
   
ARMENIA AT FESTIVAL OF RUSSIAN THEATRES IN MOSCOW Armenia will be represented at an International Festival of Russian Theaters of CIS and Baltic states "Meetings in Russia" by an new interpretation of the play "Wit Works Woe" by Alexander Griboyedov.

A Roundtable on the problems of preparation of actors for Russian language theatres aboard will be held within the framework of the festival. Besides, a project "Fair of Directors - 2004" will be implemented, wherein young directors will be able to display their achievements

ARMENIAN POP LIFE A new CD by pop singer Suzan Margaryan with new songs of Marine Takagchyan is expected to be released son. Suzan collaborates with American composer Zare Matevosyan whose new song will also be out soon with instrumentation by Hayko.

The singer will also shoot videos and plans a summer tour of Switzerland.

MONUMENT TO HAMO SAHIAN On the birthday of Hamo Sahian, Apr 14, representatives of intelligentsia visited the Yerevan Pantheon after Komitas to pay tribute to the memory of the Armenian poet, writes Noyan Tapan April 15.

Literary critic David Gasparian characterized Hamo Sahian as one of the brightest persons in Armenian literature. It was mentioned that this event initiates a number of arrangements dedicated to the 90th birthday of Sahian. One of them is the solemn opening of the monument to Sahian to be held tomorrow (April 17) in Sisian.

ARSHIL GORKY'S 100TH ANNIVERSARY YEREVAN April 15 (Noyan Tapan). An exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Arshil Gorky (Vostanik Adoyan), opened at the Union of Artists of Armenia April 14, in Yerevan. About 250 works of different generations of artists were presented at the exhibition. According to Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs Karine Khodikian, this exhibition initiates a number of arrangements dedicated to the jubilee of the painter. She also said that the restoration of the museum building where 55 works of Arshil Gorky will be exhibited, is drawing to an end in Etchmiadzin. John Ordway, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, was present at the opening of the exhibition. He described the years the artist spent in the U.S. as "years of tough struggle".

“We are proud that Arshil Gorky created in America during the final years of his life," stated the Ambassador.

ON YEREVAN STAGES …

April 16-24 First Armenian–American Choral Festival “Song of Unity” organized by Yerevan Municipality and “Armenian Little Singers” International association. The concerts will take place in Yerevan, Gyumri, Ashtarak. Participants will be the singers of Lexington ( Massachusetts) art school, Gyumri Art school, many choirs of Yerevan and choir “Little Singers of Armenia”. Ticket cost 200 AMD.