Levon Mkrtchyan

Levon Mkrtchyan
Levon Mkrtchyan and Sergei Parajanov.
Born	1953 (1953) (age 64)
Occupation	Armenian film director

Levon Mkrtchyan (Armenian: Լևոն Մկրտչյան; Russian: Левон Гайкович Мкртчян; born February 25, 1953 in Leninakan (now Gyumri) is an Armenian director known for his documentaries, "Davit Anhaght," "Charentz: Known and Unknown Sides", "Jean Garzu", "Mesrop Mashtots", "My Komitas", "And There Was Light", "The Manuscript of Independence" which was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of independence of Armenia (1991–2001), and many more. He is an award winning director who has received the highest award of the Soviet Union, the Lenin award (the Armenian Academy Award). He has earned numerous awards for his documentaries that have kept the Armenian spirit alive. His last prestigious award during the Golden Eagle film festival he has received for his film "The Manuscript of Independence," in the Best Documentary category. He studied in the Directing Department of the Yerevan Fine Arts and Theater Institute. In 1978, he released his debut short film The Muses. In 1984, he graduated from the Directing Department of VGIK in Moscow. Since 1978, he has shot thirty-three documentaries. He filmed and has an archive about well known Armenians, including the only film footage on Hovhannes Shiraz, footage on Charles Aznavour visiting Armenia after the 1988 earthquake, the funeral of William Saroyan (1908–1981). He has also been great friends and film partners with the legendary director Sergei Parajanov (1924–1990) and has a rare footage of him, including the last days of his life.