Vahé Oshagan: Between Acts is a literary biography of the pre-eminent writer and public intellectual of the modern Armenian diaspora.

The film infuses the traditional documentary with visual, sound-text, and scholarly interpretations of Oshagan’s poetry and prose. It features readings and commentary by Oshagan of his own poetry, as well as analyses by well-known literary critics Krikor Beledian, Krikor Chahinian, Marc Nichanian; and electronic compositions by Ohannes Salibian.

Originally commissioned in 1994 by the Hamazkayin Cultural Association,
Western Region, USA. It was part of the cultural events celebrating Oshagan’s
fiftieth jubilee that took place worldwide in 1994-1995.

Since then, several changes and additions have been made to the original.
The upscaling and English subtitles of this final version have been
made possible through generous grants from:

GALOUSTE GULBENKIAN FOUNDATION
& by
HAMAZKAYIN EDUCATIONAL & CULTURAL ASSOCIATION


This landmark documentary shows clearly how Oshagan’s work ranges from the gritty
realm of the quotidian to the urgent world of politics to the existential questions that animate
living and dying. As Oshagan says, reading his own work toward the end of the film:
"squatting under the mossy, thick fences of chaos having understood nothing,
unable to move or to stay there and not even return…” Vahé Oshagan: Between Acts
leaves us as viewers with dirt stuck in our soles, longing lodged in our hearts,
and politics pressing on our limbs.

David Kazanjian Professor of English
Program in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory
University of Pennsylvania



"This is everything an intellectual might want in a biography, and simultaneously everything one might want in a biography of an intellectual. It offers a genuine sense of Vahe Oshagan's work, from his own readings to the major critical thinkers and their perspectives on his oeuvre. Simultaneously accessible to any viewer and rich enough for any scholar, this film is the definitive audiovisual work on Oshagan and a model for would-be film biographers.”

Anahid Kassabian, Aslop Professor Emerita, University of Liverpool
Sound, Music and Film Scholar



"A truly unique film about one of the most radical diasporan Armenian
poets of the 20th century.”

Arto Vaun, Senior Lecturer Director, Center for Creative Writing
English & Communications Dept. American University of Armenia



« Ce documentaire, rare et précieux, redonne sens et vie à l’œuvre du plus diasporique
des écrivains arméniens du XXe siècle ».

Tigrane Yegavian, Hebdomadere France-Arménie


Վահէ Օշական` միջնարար ֆիլմը մի կողմից առարկայացնում, մյուս կողմից տեղ է
ստեղծում «անհամբեր բանաստեղծության» համար, ինչպիսին է Վահե Օշականի
բանաստեղծությունը: Բանաստեղծությունը` զգայական ու միաժամանակ կտրուկ,
ըմբոստ ու միաժամանակ խուսափուկ` կարծես փախչում է ինքն իրենից: Ֆիլմը
այս անհամբերության ամբողջ կոնտեքստն է ստեղծում` Վահեին` աշխարհի մեջ
կորսված մտածող մարդուն:

Ս. Դվոյան Բանասիրական Գիտությունների թեկնածու, Դոցենտ,
Հայաստանի Ամերիկյան Համալսարանի Դասախոս

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