Kirk Douglas encouraged me to make a film related to my ancestry: Michael Goorjian on Amerikatsi and his visit to Armenia

By Syune Arakelyan

Famous American-Armenian director, "Emmy" laureate Michael Goorjian is in Armenia. He was a special guest at the Global Armenian Summit, and he uses his time to discover Armenia day by day. The director has been to Sevan, Dilijan and other places of interest, he says that coming to the homeland is always a pleasant occasion. In a conversation with NEWS.am STYLE, Goorjian talked about his visit, the success of the movie "Amerikatsi" and recalled his interesting conversation with Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas.

“Amerikatsi” directed by Georgian (he also plays the main character) and produced by Arman Nshanian has made a history for Armenia becoming the first Armenian movie in the Oscar’s short list.

“It’s difficult to tell on most films what will happen, because it’s art, but also a business and the film industry changes every day, but I was pretty confident that the film would be special. I do my best to make art that sticks around, lasts,  that just not comes and goes, and I hope that “Amerikatsi” would be that kind of film.

I always thought that it’s important to make Armenian films that are more accessable to non Armenians (Of course, not always, we can also make films just for Armenians). For the Oscars’ and for the attention outside the more we have films that others can relate to, the more they will have success,” says the director.

Goorjian enjoys acting and directing, but says he doesn’t always want to do both at the same time.

“I think the next time I’ll just direct, or just act, but so much of it is about the support I have around me. With “Amerikatsi” the team that we had, most of them from here, really made it possible for me to do that! It was such an unusual situation with Covid, but it ended up being very special and everybody brought much more to the film, because of what we were going through. Working with local crew and actors it’s tricky, because I don’t speak Armenian yet /I’m in class right now/ but I think overtime we found a language, a way of working together and communicating.”

This was not the first time Michael was directing and acting in the same movie. He has also directed the film “Illusion” (2004), where he co-stars along with the Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas. According to the actor, it was Kirk Douglas who encouraged him to come to Armenia and make a movie here.

“He encouraged me to make a film related to my ancestry. He was very aware and helpful towards the Armenian community. He had told me once in the 1960s he was offered to work in a movie about Ataturk and he refused to be involved. I do also remember, he passed away right when we began preproduction here, I had sent him the script before, and he was encouraging me to come and make it.“

Michael’s father was Armenian. His Grandfather was from a village Palu, and Grandmother was from Erzrum. They both escaped before the Armenian Genocide of 1915. And he has Scottish and American roots from his mother’s side. The director says, when there is an Armenian part of you, it always takes over.

“You start raising glass and toasting, I’m there․ I’m there for the food, I’m there for the friendship. I think people who live here don’t realize how special it is- a sense of living life and being present and enjoying life is quite special that you don’t experience in other places of the world. And I think that’s Armenian. It’s not just a food, it’s the culture around eating and the fact that people just like sitting around and eating. That’s the part I like the most.”

In the present moment Goorjian is working on some projects for American television, but he’s sure he will be back to Armenia with another movie.

“I have other work that I’m doing, that’s not related to Armenia, but there’s no way I can’t not come and make another film here. I liked it too much. Even if that’s an excuse for me to come and live in Armenia for a while. I’m also writing and searching, for me it takes a long time to find the right script.”

While being in Armenia, the director prefers exploring its wonders. He didn’t manage to see the beauty of Artsakh, but there is always a hope to do it one day…

“I had sort of an opportunity to go in 2020 before the war, but I had very little time and thought, well, let’s not push it, I’ll do it when I come back… And unfortunately I can’t now. I heard how beautiful it is and just to see it, would be wonderful!”