M.A. Littler’s ‘Armenia’ to Have U.S. Premiere at Arlington Film Festival

ARLINGTON, Mass.—M.A. Littler’s film “Armenia” will have its American premiere at the Arlington Film Festival on Oct. 29.

The theatrical poster for 'Armenia' — The theatrical poster for ‘Armenia’

“Armenia” is a cinematic interweaving of film, literature and history. The day after his fiftieth birthday, Haig Boghos (portrayed by Alain Croubalian), a world-weary singer embarks on a personal journey revisiting his family’s history of genocide, exile, and diaspora.

His journey leads from his current hometown Basel, to his childhood home Cairo, and from Beirut to Armenia—the homeland of his forefathers. Haig’s odyssey culminates in the discovery of a mass grave— the last resting place of many of the victims of the Armenian Genocide—including Haig’s great-grand parents.

Circling themes of family, identity, and spirituality, Armenia is a geographical, historical and psychological journey into one man’s mind and into the collective consciousness of a troubled country and its people. However, Haig Boghos’ odyssey is not solely a personal journey, it is much rather the journey of an archetype, a universal tale of displacement and forlornness that will resonate with everyone who feels a sense of spiritual homelessness.

M.A. Littler was raised in the old world and the new world, at airports, on junkyards, in motels, and restaurants. He found employment as a bouncer, a barkeeper, a cab driver, a translator, a screenwriter, a journalist—even as an ambulance driver. All employment was short-lived.

In 1999, Littler founded Slowboat Films—a haven for truly independent cinema. In his films and writing he has displayed an unhidden affinity for outsiders of all sorts—radical intellectuals, outlaw historians, marginalized artists, obscure musicians, and holy con men. When asked about this, Littler says: “I’m interested in people who dance to their own beat, prototypes who fix their radio with a blow torch.”

The Arlington Film Festival offers a unique opportunity for cross-cultural education by promoting understanding of the many cultures represented in Arlington and beyond. The organization is dedicated to developing, promoting, and increasing multicultural awareness and understanding in Arlington. The festival is a means for recognizing that such diversity enriches the community.

For tickets, visit: https://www.eventsprout.com/register/2016aiff