YEREVAN, MAY 8, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. VivaCell-MTS continues to accomplish its mission by sponsoring cultural projects that present the history of the Armenian people to the world. As the sponsor of the "From Ararat to Zion" film's screening in Armenia, the company allocated 10 million drams. A press conference on the Armenian premiere of "From Ararat to Zion" documentary filmed by Vem Media Art studio was held in the lobby of the Moscow Cinema on May 5. Among speakers were the film's director Edgar Baghdasarian, the producer and scriptwriter Father Mesrop Aramian, the director of photography Ruben Gasparian, as well as the film sponsors - Director General of VivaCell-MTS company Ralph Yirikian, Director of Flagship Ventures company Nubar Afeyan (U.S). and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Troyka Dialog group Ruben Vardanian. The film's hero is an Armenian pilgrim who has followed paths full of threats and calls himself a person "who saw death". Thanks to this greatest spiritual feat and sacrifice, the Armenians are now at the center of the world and are among the main legitimate owners of the key Christian holy places. "Wherever the Armenians have set their foot, they have left behind golden traces due to their work and great achievements," Ralph Yirikian said. The members of the crew - which made a film about the spiritual feat and sacrifice as well as the path that the Armenians have followed from one significant historical mountain to the other - saw the whole way leading to the Holy Tomb through the eyes of pilgrims. The documentary depicts the spirit of the oath that created and preserved the holy places and monsteries of the Holy Land over the centuries. At the cost of great sacrifice and suffering, the vilgrims come to the Holy Land in order to sense the presence of God. Most historical data used in the film is not preseved in the Armenian historiography, and evidences and relics of great imporance to our identity are shown for the first time. "This film is a unique message to humanity. The world's nations should know that over the centuries Christianity has been not only a religion, but also a world-view and a basis of national existence for the Armenians. Throughout its existence, the Armenian nation has displayed a deep devotion to the Christian values - despite genocide and attemps to assimilate it and force it change its religion. The film is also a message to us, the contemporaries: we must be worthy descendants of our ancestors and remain true to our religion - our indentity," Ralph Yirikian stated. During the film shooting, its crew went to Egypt and Turkey and made three trips to Israel. The original English text of the film is narrated by the famous Hollywood actor Aidan Quinn. The film is also enriched with the voice of Lisa Gerrard, a popular singer in cinema. "From Ararat to Zion" is a film calling on the Armenians to get rid of the complex of a small nation and take their history into their own hands. The film has entered the final stages of 8 international film festivals. Its world premiere is scheduled for May 12 in the UK. It is planned to broadcast the film in the U.S, Europe and Russia.

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