This week, I Promised Her Life, the award-winning short film by New York Film Academy (NYFA) Filmmaking alum Robert Nazar Arjoyan, premiered on Vimeo.
The film is about a grieving Armenian-American mother named Elena who defies centuries-old tradition as she walks the line between death and the afterlife on the day of her daughter’s funeral. In the lead role is Anne Bedian (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Lost, The Grid). I Promised Her Life has played over 30 festivals, and has so far picked up 7 awards.
Arjoyan attended the NYFA 4-Week Filmmaking camp at our Los Angeles campus in 2004, where he made three films. His studies and eventual career in film was fate: after randomly stopping at a slot machine while vacationing in Las Vegas and winning the jackpot, Arjoyan celebrated by using the winnings to attend the camp. “The voice in my head demanded that someone, anyone, go pull that machine,” Arjoyan tells NYFA.
His gut feeling paid off; his mother pulled the handle on the slot, won the jackpot, and soon after Arjoyan was learning the skills needed to be a filmmaker in Hollywood. “I look back upon those weeks on the storied Backlot with tremendous fondness and gratitude,” says Arjoyan.
“The summer I spent at NYFA as a 15 year old taught me the core fundamentals that helped me make I Promised Her Life,” adds Arjoyan, “and will continue to do so for all future projects. That was a magical and invaluable experience.”
New York Film Academy congratulates Filmmaking alum Robert Nazar Arjoyan on the release of his new film, and encourages everyone to check out I Promised Her Life on Vimeo!
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