(L-R): 'I Will Revenge This World' director Zara Jian and producer David P Kelly

Source: David P Kelly

(L-R): ‘I Will Revenge This World’ director Zara Jian and producer David P Kelly

UK producer David P Kelly has come on board Zara Jian’s hybrid documentary drama I Will Revenge This World With Love celebrating Armenia’s greatest filmmaker Sergei Paradjanov.

Jian is shooting material at the Berlinale with Canadian-Armenian director Atom Egoyan, whose The Seven Veils screens as a Berlinale Special. Paradjanov (1924-90) directed Shadows Of Forgotten Ancestors and The Colour Of Pomegranates.

Double Palme D’Or winner Emir Kusturica, Joel Chapiron, and Lora Guerra are on board the project, which is being set up as an Armenian-French-UK coproduction with support from the CNC in France and the National Cinema Centre of Armenia.

Kelly is looking for UK support from the BFI and the French coproducer is Stéphane Jourdain of La Huit Production. Jian’s Boomerang and Ani Vorskanyan’s Yerevan-based Ava Films are producing and are in talks with sales agents.

Kelly is involved in plans for a UK delegation to Armenia’s Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival’s industry sessions in July.

”Armenia is a unique place to film and one that the UK needs to build new business and cultural bridges with,” he said.