Original subtitles

The Hamo Beknazaryan "Hayfilm" Studio presents:

THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES

Author of the Film: Sergei Parajanov

Director of Photography: Suren Shahbazyan

Production Designer: Stepan Andranikyan

Music: Tigran Mansurian

First Assistant Director: A. Samvelyan

Second Assistant Director: R. Zhamharyan

Sound Operator: Yu. Sayadyan

Camera Operator: Martuni Shahbazyan

Costume Design: E. Akhvlediani, I. Karalyan, Zh. Sarabyan

Make-Up: P. Aschyan, V. Asatryan

Film Editing: M. Ponomarenko

Set Decoration: Mikael Arakelyan

Visual Effects: L. Karamyan, H. Hovhannisyan

Script Editors: Bagrat Hovhannisyan, Perj Zeytuntsyan

Musical Editor: M. Berko

Musical Setting: Yuri Harutunyan

Choreographer: Sergei Parajanov

Architectural Consultant: V. Jorbenadze

Jewelry Designer: A. Asaturov

Production Manager: A. Melik-Sargsyan

Poet as a Youth, Poet's Love, The Nun in White Lace, The Angel of Resurrection, The Mime:

Sofiko Chiaureli

The poet as a child: M. Alekyan

The poet in the monastery: V. Galstyan

The poet as an old man: G. Gegechkori

The Prince: Hovhannes Minasyan

Supporting cast: S. Baghashvili, M. Japaridze, G. Matsukatov,

M. Bibileishvili, G. Margaryan, L. Karamyan,

G. Gabunia, B. Mirianashvili, I. Babayan,

B. Tatishvili, Zh. Gharibyan, T. Dvali,

E. Papakhanyan, Yu. Merdenov, Yu. Amiryan

This film does not attempt to tell the life story of a poet.

Rather, the filmmaker has tried to recreate the poet's inner world

through the trepidations of his soul, his passion and torments,

widely utilising the symbolism and allegories

specific to the tradition of Ashugh, the Medieval Armenian troubadours.

I am the man whose life and soul are torment.

I am the man whose life and soul are torment.

I am the man whose life and soul are torment.

I am the man whose life and soul are torment.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

On the sixth day, God said:

"Let us make mankind in our image,

in our likeness".

So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created him.

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground,

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

The Lord God took the man

and put him in the Garden of Eden

to till the soil,

and take care of the Garden.

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying...

Many have come before me, and vaguely known this amazing world,

they have extinguished and expired ahead of me.

Books must be well kept and read,

for books are Soul and Life.

Without books, the world would have witnessed nothing but ignorance.

Read aloud for the people to hear, in benefit of their souls,

for many are unable to read what is written.

From the colours and aromas of this world,

a poet's lyre my childhood did make, and offered it to me.

Saint George, we implore you, let your good fortune, your kind thoughts

spread over our family and our people. Along with your white horse,

be a stronghold for our people. Give prosperity to this family,

give them good thoughts and prosperity.

We were searching for ourselves in each other...

...has gone beyond measure.

In this healthy and beautiful life only I have been made to suffer.

Why is it so?

We were searching for a place of refuge for our Jove,

but instead, the road led us to the land of the dead.

You abandoned us and went away, but we the living wrapped you

in a cocoon, so that in your new world you would burst forth like a butterfly.

How am I to protect my wax-built castles of love

from the devouring heat of your fires?

You are fire.

You are dressed in...

You are fire.

You are dressed in...

fire.

You are fire. You are dressed in fire.

You are fire. You are dressed in fire.

You are fire. You are dressed in black.

You are dressed in black.

Which of these two fires can I endure?

Go then and find your refuge of selfless love.

I will go and search the monasteries one by one.

What is the name? What is the name?

Arutin.

Lord, have mercy.

Remember us, Lord, and have mercy on us.

Jesus Christ, Son of God, bountiful and merciful is your love,

have mercy on the soul of your servant,

the departed Arutin, who has joined you in Heaven.

Remember him on the day of your coming,

and forgive him all his sins...

Jamal, go faster!

He placed the hand of Eve into that of Adam, and Adam said:

"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman, for she was taken out of Man.

That is why a man leaves his father and mother

and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."

Godfather, what is your ward's name?

Arutin.

Little Arutin has come to ask to be baptised.

We baptise him in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

By the grace of the blood of Christ,

welcome him into your Father's heavenly kingdom,

so that he will be the heir to Christ

and the temple of the Jiving God.

Arutin!

Brothers of mine in soul and blood,

Heaven has sent upon us to this world, grief, grief, grief...

Brothers of mine in soul and blood, grief, inconsolable grief

has been sent to us from Heaven today.

During this night of the revelation of Saint Sarkis,

our Holy Father Lazarus has died at Etchmiadzin.

Catholicos of all Armenians,

most high amongst men and prelates.

Brothers of mine in soul and blood, grief, grief, grief...

has been sent to us from Heaven...

As a crowd of naïve victims we come from this world

to you as an offering...

Brothers of mine in soul and blood,

grief has been sent to us from Heaven, grief, grief, grief...

Brothers of mine in soul and blood, grief, inconsolable grief

has been sent to us from Heaven today.

During this night of the revelation of Saint Sarkis,

our Holy Father Lazarus has died at Etchmiadzin.

Catholicos of all Armenians,

most high amongst men and prelates.

I asked for a shroud to wrap the dead body,

instead they showed the frenzied convulsions of their living bodies.

Where can I find selfless love?

...to God, our Saviour

Like an everlasting flower unsoiled

Innocent bud

Sprung from the roots of Isaiah

We magnify you

You, whose life and body

Are spotless...

...and the power and the glory, forever and ever...

Blessed be our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done

on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Have mercy, Lord.

Jesus, hope of all life, accept our prayers,

cleanse us from our sins and grant our petitions,

accept once again our evening prayers.

Heed us, Lord. Have mercy upon us.

In the sunny valley of distant years

live my longings, my loves and my childhood.

You are fire, you are dressed in black...

You are fire, you are dressed in black...

You are fire, you are dressed in black...

I would die

I would die for your admirable mind

Loving little quail Wounded little quail

...a thousand soldiers

You hit, you were hit, you fell with courage

Persians to the right and to the left

My homeland...

Wounded little quail, quail...

Little black quail

My dear little quail

You walk up and down...

Scarlet drips the blood

The flowers in the field are stained red

The moon appears from behind the cloud

I saw everything, clear and strangely blunt,

and I understood that life had abandoned me.

We have slain the sacrificial lamb, boiled the meat,

and distributed it onto seven plates.

Come, come!

My husband and I went to Tiflis.

In the square there were baths and we went there together.

We had a nice bath.

What are you saying?

Now everybody knows we went to the baths!

Give these chickens to the virgins.

Then we wanted to have some skewers,

but somebody told us about a troubadour.

So we went see.

He was a charlatan.

As long as I live

My life is all yours, my love

My life is all yours, my love

Go amongst the people.

Go, and may we always hear of your triumphs,

your kind deeds and your well-being.

You are the salt of the earth,

and may the God of speech be always with you.

Go amongst the people.

Go, go.

I hear calls of homecoming and hope, but I am weary.

Who has spread all this sorrow upon this old and weary earth?

The world is a window

And I am tired of these arches

He who looks through them gets burnt

And I am tired of these burns

Yesterday was better than today

And I am weary of tomorrows

Man cannot always be the same

And I am tired of any play

Yesterday was better than today

And I am weary of tomorrows

Man cannot always be the same

And I am tired of any play

Sayat Nova said:

My suffering

has gone beyond measure.

The world is a window.

The world is a window.

The world...

The bread you gave was beautiful, but the soil is more than beautiful.

Let me go and turn to earth. I am weary, I am weary.

Sing!

In this world...

Sing!

In this world...

Die!