AFS x Armenian Heritage Month Screening “Komitas”

We are delighted to invite you to a very special screening organised by the Armenian Film Society London and the Armenian Heritage Month campaign, presenting the long-overdue UK premiere of Komitas, the haunting and unconventional film by acclaimed director Don Askarian.

📍 Venue: Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London SW1Y 5AH
📅 Date: Sunday, 5 July
🕗 Time: 6:00 PM
🎬 Running Time: 96 minutes
🗣️ Language: Armenian and German with English subtitles
🎟️ Tickets: Available via the ICA website

Dedicated to one of Armenia’s most significant cultural figures, Komitas tells the story of Komitas Vardapet—the pioneering composer, ethnomusicologist and priest whose work preserved and transformed Armenian musical heritage. Komitas was among the Armenian intellectuals arrested and deported on 24 April 1915, an event that marked the beginning of the Armenian Genocide.

Born in Stepanakert and educated in Moscow, director Don Askarian emigrated to West Berlin in the late 1970s after spending time in a Soviet prison. Widely regarded as a missing link between the cinematic worlds of Tarkovsky and Parajanov, Askarian creates a deeply personal and visually arresting portrait of Komitas. Echoing the dreamlike introspection of Tarkovsky’s Mirror while embracing the richly symbolic tableaux associated with Parajanov, the film offers a unique and innovative approach to the biographical genre.

Through striking imagery and poetic storytelling, the film explores the devastating impact of the events of 1915 and their lasting consequences on one of Armenia’s greatest cultural pioneers.

The screening will be introduced by Armenian Film Society London curators Kira Adibekov and Tatevik Ayvazyan.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience an extraordinary cinematic tribute to one of Armenia’s most influential cultural pioneer.