By Nerses Akhpar

My initial puzzlement over Iranian President Mahmous Ahmadinejad’s one day visit to Yerevan seems to have been answered by the following December 23 new brief in the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

“Iran and Armenia singed five letters of understanding during the official visit...   including the construction of hydroelectric power plants on Aras dam, cooperation between the Institute for Standards and Industrial Research of Iran and the Armenian National Institute for Standards as well as cooperation in the fields of social welfare, employment and environment protection.”
 
Here’s the kicker - “The two countries have reached a preliminary agreement to make joint TV serials. The joint venture would portray the social and cultural life of Iran and Armenia and expand cinematic ties between the two countries.”

This is welcome news. Iran’s cinema has a long and rich history and the ‘new wave’ of Iranian cinematographers has been duly praised by international critiques and audiences alike.

The continuous presence of Iranian films in prestigious international festivals such as Cannes, the Venice Film Festival, and Berlin Film Festival attracted world attention to Iranian masterpieces.

But what will Armenia’s cinema reap from such collaboration? The internationally award-winning cinema of Iran is quite different from the domestically oriented films.

As to the thought of making “joint TV serials”... I shudder at the thought.

Just look at the trashy and infantile stereotypical serials now produced in Armenia. They’re an assault on the senses.

Couple this lack of relevant content with Iranian state censorship and god only knows what will be produced.

So I guess Ahmadinejad had to rush to Yerevan to confer with Sargsyan regarding whom to cast in the leading roles of the upcoming smash serial “Bride of the Aras Hydroelectric Plant: The Story of Unrequited Love between an Iranian Engineer and an Armenian Peasant Girl”.

Sounds like a winner.

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