P.S. Btw, I was pleasantly surprised to spot quite a few DVDs of films by Parajanov at BFI store (e.g. see the first picture above)
վճարված է|paid
6 years ago
Showing posts with label cinema. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cinema. Show all posts
Friday, 8 April 2011
'Lesbian corner', Parajanov, British Film Institute, LLGFF
P.S. Btw, I was pleasantly surprised to spot quite a few DVDs of films by Parajanov at BFI store (e.g. see the first picture above)
British Film Institute, LLGFF
*British Film Institute, South Bank, London, Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, 2 April 2011
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Serge Avedikian: ‘I never rejected my homosexual experiences as a youngster, and never thought of them to be within the confines of normality or abnormality’
As I mentioned in my earlier post, Serge Avedikian - French Armenian director, actor, writer and producer - made an unforgettable mark on the history of world gay cinema by playing in a very different wartime love story - Nous étions un seul homme (We Were One Man), film by renown French director Philippe Vallois in 1979. [Read “Modern gay classic” French Armenian Serge Avedikian won Palme d'Or 2010 at Cannes]. Serge was recently in Yerevan to participate in Golden Apricot international film festival.
This exclusive interview was first published in October 2004 on the website of the former Armenian gay rights group in France - www.agla.info (no longer exists). Thanks to Micha Meroujean, head of then AGLA France, I can now post it, with accompanied pictures, on Unzipped: Gay Armenia.
This extract - from the original interview in French - was translated using Google Translate. I only slightly edited it.
[Interview and photos by Didier K.]
***
Exclusive: Interview with Serge Avedikian
AGLA: You are the only actor of Armenian origin who played the role of a homosexual and, to my knowledge, you have never denied this role. What was your perception of homosexuals at the time when you shot "We Were One Man”?
SA: This is the first film I shot as an actor in 1979. I was a young stage actor and I had just done "Avignon", and Philippe Valois had seen pictures of me in an agency. He was not necessarily looking for a gay actor although there were many actors who were gay but not out but everybody knew them.
AGLA: Especially at that time, when homosexuality was not yet decriminalised in France; we had to wait until 1981.
SA: I didn't remember that. Moreover, at the time we were kidding by saying "the guy is from the building". It was sort of a password!
In fact, the director was seeking someone who could have a high sensitivity combined with a slightly wild side, and when we met, it worked instantly.
Philippe Valois did not hide at all that he was gay. He introduced me to his friends, when I went to his home.
I always felt comfortable with gay guys while not being gay myself. I didn’t hide from Philippe the fact that I had homosexual experiences as a youngster. I never rejected those experiences, and never thought of them to be within the confines of normality or abnormality.
I felt totally at ease and loved this project when I read the script, nothing shocked me. "We Were One Man" is not a gay or militant film per se. It is a film about an impossible love story between a “mentally deranged” boy who escaped from a psychiatric hospital and lives in the forest, having encounters with the prostitutes of the village, and a German soldier he captures and with whom he finally accepts his love.
With Philippe we had planned and agreed on intimate scene, but in the end, it was I who staged it in a certain way. Like it or not, it's so complicated to do an intimate scene.... I remember very well the scene when I am lying on the bed, on my belly, and I lifted my shirt to give myself to him, cheerfully showing my ass in a gesture quite natural but shy. Then we filmed the love scene between two of us, then the threesome.
AGLA: Did this role embarrass you in the Armenian community?
SA: If this role would have embarrassed me, I could not do it. In addition, the Armenian community has never talked about this movie. The film which made me known in the community was "The Red Sweater". Right after it "We Were One Man" was released... When the community media outlets were interviewing me about "The Sweater..." I was also speaking of "We Were One Man". And somehow they never asked me questions about it.
I told them: "You know, I made another movie you should go see?"
I must say that by that time there were only few newspapers, like Gamk and Haratch, and that's it. The community was very closed on itself.
I did not talk about it in the community, but my friends have seen and they all liked it.
This film has gone somehow unnoticed by the public, even though some curious minds went to see it thanks to the success of “The Read Sweater”.
AGLA: What is your perception of gay Armenians and do you think that these two words can add up (work together)?
SA: At the time when the film was released, when people were speaking of homosexuality they were speaking of it as of minority. I myself was already in a minority. Yes, I think being gay and Armenian makes a “double” minority, and in the end it could almost make up a majority ! (laughing)
The word "minority" or "marginality" never deranged me, but at the same time I would not like them to be perceived as negative or militant specificity.
When you're part of a specificity, you live in the society by hiding it and that is actually the case for many people, or you live openly and therefore you place yourself in the provocation to the establishment. And that's really not interesting.
In the case of gay Armenians, this becomes a combination of provocations and that could be a double disadvantage in the community.
And I do not see the problem of being gay and Armenian, openly, here, now, in France and claim it as such.
AGLA: We do not believe we are still at the beginning of understanding or acceptance of homosexuality in Armenia. Local gays cannot wait to live their lives, they have few options: hide or leave!
SA: Before us, long ago, Charles Aznavour sang "Like they say …" (Comme ils disent) during his tour in Yerevan. At least I hope he did. And I believe that people who heard it received this song with great emotion even if they were Soviet apparatchiks. Same kind of example, when I screened "We Were One Man" in the Cinematheque of Yerevan, the cinema hall was full, and this is for a film that was never shown on French television.
[Unzipped: Gay Armenia: WOW! I didn’t know that the film was screened in Yerevan !!]
Published in October 2004 on www.agla.info
Interview and photos by Didier K.
This exclusive interview was first published in October 2004 on the website of the former Armenian gay rights group in France - www.agla.info (no longer exists). Thanks to Micha Meroujean, head of then AGLA France, I can now post it, with accompanied pictures, on Unzipped: Gay Armenia.
This extract - from the original interview in French - was translated using Google Translate. I only slightly edited it.
*Philippe Vallois (left) and Serge Avedikian (right) with former AGLA France
*Philippe Vallois (left) and Serge Avedikian (right)
*Philippe Vallois
[Interview and photos by Didier K.]
***
Exclusive: Interview with Serge Avedikian
AGLA: You are the only actor of Armenian origin who played the role of a homosexual and, to my knowledge, you have never denied this role. What was your perception of homosexuals at the time when you shot "We Were One Man”?
SA: This is the first film I shot as an actor in 1979. I was a young stage actor and I had just done "Avignon", and Philippe Valois had seen pictures of me in an agency. He was not necessarily looking for a gay actor although there were many actors who were gay but not out but everybody knew them.
AGLA: Especially at that time, when homosexuality was not yet decriminalised in France; we had to wait until 1981.
SA: I didn't remember that. Moreover, at the time we were kidding by saying "the guy is from the building". It was sort of a password!
In fact, the director was seeking someone who could have a high sensitivity combined with a slightly wild side, and when we met, it worked instantly.
Philippe Valois did not hide at all that he was gay. He introduced me to his friends, when I went to his home.
I always felt comfortable with gay guys while not being gay myself. I didn’t hide from Philippe the fact that I had homosexual experiences as a youngster. I never rejected those experiences, and never thought of them to be within the confines of normality or abnormality.
I felt totally at ease and loved this project when I read the script, nothing shocked me. "We Were One Man" is not a gay or militant film per se. It is a film about an impossible love story between a “mentally deranged” boy who escaped from a psychiatric hospital and lives in the forest, having encounters with the prostitutes of the village, and a German soldier he captures and with whom he finally accepts his love.
With Philippe we had planned and agreed on intimate scene, but in the end, it was I who staged it in a certain way. Like it or not, it's so complicated to do an intimate scene.... I remember very well the scene when I am lying on the bed, on my belly, and I lifted my shirt to give myself to him, cheerfully showing my ass in a gesture quite natural but shy. Then we filmed the love scene between two of us, then the threesome.
AGLA: Did this role embarrass you in the Armenian community?
SA: If this role would have embarrassed me, I could not do it. In addition, the Armenian community has never talked about this movie. The film which made me known in the community was "The Red Sweater". Right after it "We Were One Man" was released... When the community media outlets were interviewing me about "The Sweater..." I was also speaking of "We Were One Man". And somehow they never asked me questions about it.
I told them: "You know, I made another movie you should go see?"
I must say that by that time there were only few newspapers, like Gamk and Haratch, and that's it. The community was very closed on itself.
I did not talk about it in the community, but my friends have seen and they all liked it.
This film has gone somehow unnoticed by the public, even though some curious minds went to see it thanks to the success of “The Read Sweater”.
AGLA: What is your perception of gay Armenians and do you think that these two words can add up (work together)?
SA: At the time when the film was released, when people were speaking of homosexuality they were speaking of it as of minority. I myself was already in a minority. Yes, I think being gay and Armenian makes a “double” minority, and in the end it could almost make up a majority ! (laughing)
The word "minority" or "marginality" never deranged me, but at the same time I would not like them to be perceived as negative or militant specificity.
When you're part of a specificity, you live in the society by hiding it and that is actually the case for many people, or you live openly and therefore you place yourself in the provocation to the establishment. And that's really not interesting.
In the case of gay Armenians, this becomes a combination of provocations and that could be a double disadvantage in the community.
And I do not see the problem of being gay and Armenian, openly, here, now, in France and claim it as such.
AGLA: We do not believe we are still at the beginning of understanding or acceptance of homosexuality in Armenia. Local gays cannot wait to live their lives, they have few options: hide or leave!
SA: Before us, long ago, Charles Aznavour sang "Like they say …" (Comme ils disent) during his tour in Yerevan. At least I hope he did. And I believe that people who heard it received this song with great emotion even if they were Soviet apparatchiks. Same kind of example, when I screened "We Were One Man" in the Cinematheque of Yerevan, the cinema hall was full, and this is for a film that was never shown on French television.
[Unzipped: Gay Armenia: WOW! I didn’t know that the film was screened in Yerevan !!]
Published in October 2004 on www.agla.info
Interview and photos by Didier K.
Monday, 24 May 2010
“Modern gay classic” French Armenian Serge Avedikian won Palme d'Or 2010 at Cannes
Simply amazing news. French Armenian director, actor, writer and producer Serge Avedikian received the highest award at Cannes - Palme d'Or - Short Film, 2010, for Chienne d’Histoire (Barking Island). [Another director of Armenian origin, Lebanese Armenian video artist and filmmaker Vatche Boulghourjian was awarded 3rd prize Cinéfondation Ex-aequo, 2010, for Hinkerord Zorasune (The Fifth Column). Congrats, Vatche!!]
Congrats, dear Serge!!
Serge Avedikian made an unforgettable mark on the history of world gay cinema by playing in a very different wartime love story - Nous étions un seul homme (We Were One Man), film by renown French director Philippe Vallois in 1979.
Critiques call it the “most unusual wartime love story”, “a modern gay classic”.
***
Brief biography (based on Wikipedia): Avedikian’s parents were born in France, children of survivors of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. In 1947, influenced by Stalin's and Maurice Thorez' propaganda, they left to rejoin the motherland, where Avedikian, born in Yerevan in 1955, attended the French school. At the age of fifteen along with his family, he returned to France. He got his stage debut in college, in his professor's amateur theater company. After studies at the Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Meudon (France), he arrived in Paris in 1971 where he worked with the students of the Paris Conservatory. In 1976, he created a theater company and produced several plays. At the same time, he pursued a career as a theater, movie and television actor. In 1988, he founded his own production company but continues to direct films. Currently, he is working on his first feature film The Last Round.
(pictures - via Filmes de Interes Gay)
Congrats, dear Serge!!
Serge Avedikian made an unforgettable mark on the history of world gay cinema by playing in a very different wartime love story - Nous étions un seul homme (We Were One Man), film by renown French director Philippe Vallois in 1979.
Critiques call it the “most unusual wartime love story”, “a modern gay classic”.
“We Were One Man' had its U.S. premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival in 1980, where it was awarded the prestigious Silver Hugo. Written, produced, edited, and directed by France's premiere gay director, Philippe Vallois [...]
Serge Avedikian who plays the French simple minded country asylum runaway Guy and Piotr Stanislas who plays the German soldier Rolf both deliver performances which are truly extraordinary.”
“In rural France, a male farmer comes across a wounded German officer. Allowing his pacifist nature to supersede his patriotism, the farmer hides the German in his barn. The two men become friends....and then, lovers. Handled with taste (if not always discretion), We Were One Man offers a fascinating variation on the standard "opposites attract" theme.”
***
Brief biography (based on Wikipedia): Avedikian’s parents were born in France, children of survivors of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. In 1947, influenced by Stalin's and Maurice Thorez' propaganda, they left to rejoin the motherland, where Avedikian, born in Yerevan in 1955, attended the French school. At the age of fifteen along with his family, he returned to France. He got his stage debut in college, in his professor's amateur theater company. After studies at the Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Meudon (France), he arrived in Paris in 1971 where he worked with the students of the Paris Conservatory. In 1976, he created a theater company and produced several plays. At the same time, he pursued a career as a theater, movie and television actor. In 1988, he founded his own production company but continues to direct films. Currently, he is working on his first feature film The Last Round.
(pictures - via Filmes de Interes Gay)
Friday, 19 March 2010
Homoeroticism in... Soviet cinema
Who knew? ;)
Х/ф "Аттестат зрелости".
Василий Лановой в главной роли.
*Thanks to sunshine.by for the links
Х/ф "Аттестат зрелости".
Василий Лановой в главной роли.
*Thanks to sunshine.by for the links
Monday, 13 July 2009
'Fighting' public toilet sex in Yerevan
Very 'creative' way of fighting cruising and sex in public toilets by administration of cinema Moscow in downtown Yerevan. Their public toilets have been a popular place for cruising and gay sex from way back Soviet times. According to Kamoblog, they now decided the most 'effective' way of fighting against such practice - by putting 'windows' over the upper half of toilet doors. Only in Yerevan. Bizarre beyond words :)
Sunday, 13 April 2008
Best independent and arthouse cinema in Yerevan - National Gallery of Armenia
This is the best place for independent and arthouse cinema in Yerevan, from Pasolini to Fassbinder and other gems of cinematorgraphy, with regular Q&A sessions, thematic screenings, restrospectives, festivals. A rare pleasure. Highly recommend it! Screenings are normally held over weekends, but check out the programme from the National Gallery to get the full listings. You may also wish to enjoy permanent and temporary exhibitions at the Gallery.
When I was back in Yerevan over the New Year holidays few months ago, this cinema at the National Gallery of Armenia was one of the biggest discoveries for me. Imagine my shock (a pleasant shock!) when I saw their programme which included a screening of Pasolini's Salo. Salo is considered as one of the most controversial films ever made. It is still banned in many countries, and only recently has been released uncut in the UK. Although I've seen Salo few times, I decided that I have to experience it in Armenia, which seemed kind of surreal for me. Unfortunately, due to technical reasons (broken movie projector) they had to cancel the screening.
Melik Karapetyan, head of Film Programs Department at the National Gallery of Armenia is doing fantastic job and deserves our support. His programming could rival the best independent cinemas worldwide.
Current programme includes:
- Great Women Artists / Artists of the 20th Century
- Regional Silent Film Festival 4th Edition
- Jan Svankmajer’s Film Retrospective
- German Classic Cinema and Fassbinder’s Films
For up-to-date listings, check out ArmeniaInfo's "Calendar of Events". However, to make sure you do not miss anything, I'd rather suggest picking up a programme from the Gallery (artfully made).
*photo via National Gallery of Armenia
Monday, 4 June 2007
Armenia Gay Guide
country overview, useful info, gay institutions and venues
[inspired by and partly based on Spartacus International Gay Guide]
*last reviewed: 1 September 2008
Spartacus guide is the most famous and popular gay guide worldwide. The fact that Armenia entered the guide is the recognition of emerging gay scene. It may attract more gay tourists to Armenia.
Important notes re Armenia Gay Guide:
*This guide is partly based on Spartacus, with the additional info from other sources if available and appropriate.
*This guide will be updated regularly as/when new info is available. For convenience, the link to this guide is provided on the main page of my blog (see upper right corner).
*If you think that the info or listings in this guide are incorrect, please let me know your additions based on reliable sources. If you are aware of other gay or gay-friendly venues and attractions in Armenia or any other info which you think may be of interest or relevance to gay people who live in or visit Armenia, please let me know so that I will update this guide.
Country overview
In December 2002, Armenia adopted a new Criminal Code and abolished the anti-gay article 116 that dated back to 1936. Since then, homosexuality [strictly said, gay male sex] is no longer punishable. At the same time, a "gay scene" started to emerge in the capital Yerevan.
To this date, there is no gay rights movement in Armenia [well, not organised or obvious, more subtle gay rights movement exists in form of emerging gay institutions/venues, with the support of Diaspora organisations] and society remains extremely homophobic. The first gay bar Meline's opened on 12 November 2004. The first LGBT NGO called We For Civil Equality (WFCE), also known as 'Menq', was formally registered by the Ministry of Justice in July 2006. Second LGBT related NGO - PINK Armenia (Public Information and Need of Knowledge), was registered in December 2007. In May 2008, Armenian gay women group, the Women-Oriented Women’s (WOW) Collective, was established. Despite this little progress, Armenian society remains homophobic and therefore we strictly advise not to hold hands or kiss in public [although you will see men (and women) holding each other's hands in public or kissing each other when they meet or part, this is not necessarily an indicator of sexual orientation but rather established tradition]. Even if some venues listed in this guide are frequented by gays and lesbians, that doesn't mean they can be compared to western gay bars and discos.
Nevertheless, Armenia has much to offer: as one of the cradles of Christian civilisation, it has over 40 000 churches and the capital alone has over 20 museums. The month of July is rich in events. In the beginning of the month, Yerevan hosts Golden Apricot Film Festival followed by more and more popular Yerevan Jazz Festival. Outside the capital, there is a sometimes stunningly beautiful countryside. Apart from the widespread homophobia, Armenians are said to be tempered, but friendly and welcoming people.
Famous Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Armenians, as compiled by Armeniapedia (with additions), include:
[inspired by and partly based on Spartacus International Gay Guide]
*last reviewed: 1 September 2008
Spartacus guide is the most famous and popular gay guide worldwide. The fact that Armenia entered the guide is the recognition of emerging gay scene. It may attract more gay tourists to Armenia.
Important notes re Armenia Gay Guide:
*This guide is partly based on Spartacus, with the additional info from other sources if available and appropriate.
*This guide will be updated regularly as/when new info is available. For convenience, the link to this guide is provided on the main page of my blog (see upper right corner).
*If you think that the info or listings in this guide are incorrect, please let me know your additions based on reliable sources. If you are aware of other gay or gay-friendly venues and attractions in Armenia or any other info which you think may be of interest or relevance to gay people who live in or visit Armenia, please let me know so that I will update this guide.
Country overview
In December 2002, Armenia adopted a new Criminal Code and abolished the anti-gay article 116 that dated back to 1936. Since then, homosexuality [strictly said, gay male sex] is no longer punishable. At the same time, a "gay scene" started to emerge in the capital Yerevan.
To this date, there is no gay rights movement in Armenia [well, not organised or obvious, more subtle gay rights movement exists in form of emerging gay institutions/venues, with the support of Diaspora organisations] and society remains extremely homophobic. The first gay bar Meline's opened on 12 November 2004. The first LGBT NGO called We For Civil Equality (WFCE), also known as 'Menq', was formally registered by the Ministry of Justice in July 2006. Second LGBT related NGO - PINK Armenia (Public Information and Need of Knowledge), was registered in December 2007. In May 2008, Armenian gay women group, the Women-Oriented Women’s (WOW) Collective, was established. Despite this little progress, Armenian society remains homophobic and therefore we strictly advise not to hold hands or kiss in public [although you will see men (and women) holding each other's hands in public or kissing each other when they meet or part, this is not necessarily an indicator of sexual orientation but rather established tradition]. Even if some venues listed in this guide are frequented by gays and lesbians, that doesn't mean they can be compared to western gay bars and discos.
Nevertheless, Armenia has much to offer: as one of the cradles of Christian civilisation, it has over 40 000 churches and the capital alone has over 20 museums. The month of July is rich in events. In the beginning of the month, Yerevan hosts Golden Apricot Film Festival followed by more and more popular Yerevan Jazz Festival. Outside the capital, there is a sometimes stunningly beautiful countryside. Apart from the widespread homophobia, Armenians are said to be tempered, but friendly and welcoming people.
Famous Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Armenians, as compiled by Armeniapedia (with additions), include:
- Armenian pre-Christian King Pap
- Byzantine Emperor Basil I the Macedonian
- Gay Catholicos Grigoris I or Grigor Aghtamartsi
- poet Vahan Tekeyan
- poet Yeghishe Charents (see also here)
- poet Sarmad the Naked Mystic
- filmmaker Sergei Parajanov
- Armenian American literary pioneer George Stambolian (see also here), a key figure in the early gay literary movement that came out of New York during the 1960s and 70s.
- musician, writer and activist Chastity Bono, daughter of pop duo Sonny Bono and Cher
YEREVAN
[at this stage, only listings for Armenian capital - Yerevan, are available]
For more general and useful info about Armenia, Yerevan, including travel, visitor info, entertainment, activities, sites of interest and attractions, visit Armenia Info and Armeniapedia.
Bars
Cheers 
(not gay but possibly of interest to gay men; bar with full range of alcoholic beverages; dancing/discotheque; more popular at the weekend; younger crowd of 18-29 years old)
Hours: 7pm-5am
Address: Nalbandyan Street 48
Phone: (+37410) 580 416
Website: http://www.geocities.com/cheerspubyerevan
It's the only disco-bar that stays late, where other places are closed. Most of the clients are foreign students who study in Yerevan.
Meline's
(CLOSED DOWN!)
(gay and lesbian mixed crowd; bar with full range of alcoholic beverages)
Hours: 9pm-5am (closed on Monday)
Address: Abovyan Street 2 [according to the bar non-official website - Aram Street 30, Aram and Abovyan streets' crossroad]
Phone: (+374 10) 564 414; (+374 10) 544 644; mobile (+374 91) 112 893
Website (non-official): http://melinesbar.narod.ru/
Opened in November 2004. This is the only openly gay bar in town with gay staff and clientele. It is situated in the basement of French restaurant called simply "Le Restaurant Français".
Best time to go - around or after midnight.
Meline's bar was closed down in June 2007 for unknown reasons, but re-opened in August 2007.
Meline's was closed down due to financial reasons, as well as ongoing renovation projects in central Yerevan. The very last party was held there on 31 July 2008.
Cafes
Artbridge
(not gay but possibly of interest to gay men; bar with full range of alcoholic beverages; full breakfast; extensive menu available; mixed ages)
Address: Abovyan Street 20
Phone: (+37410) 521 239
Email: artbridge@netsys.am
Great food and nice social place, a very American "Barnes & Noble Cafe"-type atmosphere. New and second hand books, souvenirs, and handcraft works are available here. Offers original coffee, a light European cuisine, daily breakfast and very good pasta.
Not necessarily food-wise, but atmosphere-wise, this is one of my favourite places in Yerevan.
Discotheques
Note: In Armenia when people say "nightclub", they most commonly refer to “striptease club”. To avoid possible confusions, if you intend to go to “dance clubs”, I would advise using the word “discotheque”.
There are number of discotheques/danceclubs frequented by LGBT Armenians; sometimes they organise 'invitation only' club nights by hiring specific venues. However, preferences and venues change frequently and it is therefore advisable to find out about relevant club nights and discoteques in place. If more 'stable' information becomes availabe in future, I will update this section of the Guide accordingly.
There are regular/occasional popular DJ nights organised in Square One (see below). Recommend it!
Monte Cristo (CLOSED DOWN!)
(gay and lesbian mixed crowd; bar with full range of alcoholic beverages; extensive menu available; mixed ages; outdoor seating, terrace or garden)
Address: Nalbandyan Street 48 (above Congress Hall)
Phone: (+37410) 545 007
With French operated restaurant. Free entrance on Thursday. More gay on Friday & Saturday.
Restaurants
Square One 
(gay-friendly venue; extensive menu available; mixed ages)
Hours: 9am-2am
Address: Abovyan Street 1/3
Phone: (+37410) 566 169
Website: http://www.squareone.am/
A newly opened eatery offering American dishes in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere from 9-2h. It has very gay-friendly staff and many mostly young gay and lesbian people come here to taste the best burgers in town. Occasionaly they hold popular DJ nights here. Highly recommend it!
The Club 
(not gay, but of interest to LGBT community)
Restaurant, cafe, tea room, gallery, concert hall. They regularly hold art exhibitions, concerts, film screenings.
Address: 40 Tumanyan st
Phone: (+37410) 531 361
Website: http://www.theclub.am/club/home/
Museums / Galleries / Cinema / Theatre
Parajanov Museum
Hours: 10.30am-5pm (open seven days a week)
Address: Dzoragyugh Street 15/16 (off Proshyan Street)
Phone: (+37410) 53-84-73
E-mail: parajanovs@web.am
Websites: http://www.parajanovmuseum.am/home.html
http://www.parajanov.com/museum_info.html
Yeghishe Charents House-Museum 
Hours: 10am-5pm (closed on Monday)
Address: Mashtots Avenue 17
Phone: (+37410) 53-55-94
Website: Armenia Info
Armenian Center For Contemporary Experimental Art
(“NPAK” in Armenian acronym)
Exhibitions, art projects, cinema, experimental theatre
Address: 1/3 Pavstos Biuzand Blvd., Yerevan, Armenia
Tel: (+37410) 56.82.25, 56.83.25, 56.02.18
Fax: (+37410) 56.02.16
E-mail: info@accea.info
Website: http://www.accea.info/main.php
Cascade
The massive white steps that ascend from downtown Yerevan towards Haghtanak Park (Victory Park). The Cafesjian Museum of Contemporary Art will be located at the top of Cascade (under construction, will open in 2010). (source: Armeniapedia)
It will host Cafesjian’s permanent art collection, comprising of works in glass by internationally known artists Stanislav Libenski and Yaroslava Brichtova, paintings by Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso 
and Marc Chagall, and the distinctive sculptures of Fernando Botero, as well as influential traveling exhibitions. The arts centre will include open air cinema, decorative pool, sculpture park, and public spaces for arts education, seminars and discussions.
(source: Unzipped)
Some statues by various artists have already been brought in and placed all along the monument, including works by Lynn Chadwick, Barry Flanagan, Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava 
Brychtova, and Paul Cox. There are two statues by Fernando Botero a black cat at the bottom and a Roman Warrior at the top platform. (source: Armeniapedia)
Excellent place to hang out, enjoy art, listen to music etc.
Independent and arthouse cinema -
National Gallery of Armenia 
This is the best place for independent and arthouse cinema in Yerevan, from Pasolini to Fassbinder and other gems of cinematorgraphy, with regular Q&A sessions, thematic screenings, restrospectives, festivals. A rare pleasure. Highly recommend it! Screenings are normally held over weekends, but check out the programme from the National Gallery to get the full listings. You may also wish to enjoy permanent and temporary exhibitions at the Gallery.
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10:30 - 18:00, closed on Mondays and Major holidays
Address: Republic Square, Yerevan
Phone: (+374 10) 580812, 561812
Website: http://www.gallery.am/
E-mail: galleryarmenia@yahoo.com
Note: For up-to-date listing of art related events, check out ArmeniaInfo's "Calendar of Events".
Travel and Transport
Hyur Service
Address: Nalbandyan Street 50 (going up from Sakharov square to Tumanyan intersection, on the right)
Phone: (+37410) 560 495
Website: http://www.hyurservice.com/
Furnished apartments for short and long term rentals in the capital; hotel reservations; airport transfer; tour packages; day trips; car/minibus rent etc. The company has offices in Los Angeles and in Paris.
Hotels
Ararat 
(not gay but possibly of interest to gay men; hotel or other accommodation welcoming gay men; air conditioning; bar with full range of alcoholic beverages; full breakfast; extensive menu available; mixed ages; outdoor seating, terrace or garden; swimming pool; dry sauna; video shows; work-out equipment available)
Address: Grigor Lusavorich Street 7
Phone: (37410) 541 100
Website: http://www.ararathotel.am/
52 rooms and 5 suites with sat-TV, mini-bar, phone, internet access; WC/bath with floor heating and king size beds. Non-smoking rooms available.
Cruising
- Opera Place (AYOR (At your own risk. Danger of personal attack or police activity): discretion recommended, only a place for picking up people).
- Kom-aygi (also called Pleshka) - close to the Yerevan City Hall and the French Embassy - best place to pick up at night but beware of police raids.
National Groups
We For Civil Equality
Location: Yerevan
Mobile phone: (+37491) 641 046
Email: wfce@cooperation.net
Website: http://www.wfce.am/
The first local NGO working for promoting LGBT issues and HIV/AIDS/STD prevention.
PINK Armenia
Websites:
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/pinkarmenia
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8328868419
Blog - http://pinkarmenia.blogspot.com/
This is the second LGBT related NGO in Armenia registered in December 2007. (announcement)
The Women-Oriented Women’s (WOW) Collective, Armenian gay women group
http://queeringyerevan.blogspot.com/
Yesoudo: LGBT Discussion Group
http://www.yesoudo.com/groups_home.php?gid=7
Blogs by transgender Armenians
Transgenders in Armenia
Hye Trent
Online publications/personal adds
The Pink
Website: http://thepink.agla.info/
The gay and lesbian online magazine available only in Armenian. It provides press reviews, articles and analyses on LGBT issues, HIV/AIDS prevention info. [no updates since 2006]
Gayarmenia.com
Website: http://www.gayarmenia.com/
GayArmenia.com is a meeting place of LGBT Armenians around the world, with some useful links and personal adds in Russian, English and French.
Another personal adds website popular among Armenian and ex-Soviet LGBT people (mainly in Russian): http://love.mail.ru/. Have a look also at HyeGay.
National Centre for AIDS prevention
Address: Acharyan Street 2, Yerevan
Hot Line: (+37410) 61-08-20
Phone: (+37410) 61-07-30
Fax: (+37410) 61-05-71
E-mail: armaids@armaids.am
Website: http://www.armaids.am/
AIDS Prevention in Armenia (in Armenian): http://www.agla.info/aids
Links to Armenian LGBT Organisations in Diaspora
AGLA France (CEASED TO EXIST!):
http://www.agla.info/
LA Gay and Lesbian Armenian Society (GALAS):
http://www.gayandlesbianarmenians.com/
AGLA NY (formerly known as 'HyeQs of New York'):
http://aglany.org/
Interview with AGLA NY President Chris Atamian
AGLA NY blog
http://aglany.wordpress.com/
Q-Hye - San Francisco GLBT Armenians:
http://www.q-hye.net/
AGLA Sydney:
http://www.geocities.com/haigay_sydney/
AGLA Boston:
E-mail: aglaboston@earthlink.net
GALAS Montreal:
E-mail: galas-mtl@home.com
Toronto QueerHye:
E-mail: queerhye@yahoo.ca
*Source of pictures: Spartacus (cover page); Lonely Planet (map of Armenia); armeniainfo.am; websites of venues; Henrik Nydell (Republic Square in Yerevan at night); Unzipped: Gay Armenia (Cascade)
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