On February 14, at 10:00, Kaunas Cinema Center "Romuva" will host a special screening of the documentary-animated film "Auction of Souls. The Incredible Story of Aurora Mardiganian" (dir. Inna Sahakyan) and a meeting with the head of the film's art team, Gediminas Skyriums, who will reveal the behind-the-scenes of the film's creation and share his insights about the role of animation in this unique story.
The film tells the story of Aurora Mardiganian, a girl of Armenian descent, who at the age of 14 survived the Armenian Genocide, lost her loved ones, and was forced to flee to the United States. Despite her ordeal, Aurora managed to not only reveal her story to the world, but also play herself in a Hollywood film, becoming a symbol of one of the largest charity campaigns in America.
After the film screening, Gediminas Skyrius will share his experience of how animation helped convey this emotionally charged story. “Animation allowed us to better convey emotions and tell the whole story in detail. It’s like an artistic interpretation that enhances the sense of experience,” says G. Skyrius.
The film's creative process was full of challenges, from the work restrictions caused by the pandemic to the impact of the war in Armenia on the creative team. However, according to G. Skyrius, it was also an invaluable learning experience: "When creating this film, I worked with full-length animation for the first time. The creative team learned in the process, because we were all kind of "green". Despite all the difficulties, the result makes us incredibly happy."
This story is not only unique, but also full of hope, despite its painful moments. "At the same time, this story is both difficult and very interesting. Similar stories usually become plots for Hollywood films - a person experiences atrocities, plays himself in a movie, communicates with the cream of Hollywood at that time. This is a unique and very interesting story," the artist adds.
The event is intended for students in grades 8-12.
Date and time: February 14, 10:00-12:00
Location: Kaunas Cinema Center "Romuva", Laisvės al. 54, Kaunas
Registration: click here
Registration is required. Space is limited.
Don't miss the opportunity to not only see a film that has received worldwide attention, but also hear the authentic creative process and the path to making sense of the story directly from the lips of one of the creators!