Love Improvisation Between Two Americas and One Kingdom
SOMEWHERE BEAUTIFUL by Albert Kodagolian

Inspired by Atom Egoyan’s cult art house classic, “Calendar,” director Albert Kodagolian has made a film that modernizes the slow burning film, whilst interweaving a personal story of lost love. “Somewhere Beautiful” is a cinematic poem about separation, and self-realization, set in the breathtaking views of Patagonia and sun-soaked neighborhoods of Silver Lake and Hollywood. The combination of Kodagolian’s artistic vision and the use of 35mm & 16mm format has resulted in a film that is iconically emotional and moving, while taking the audience through a visual ode to each of it’s locations.

There is a mysterious McGuffin that connects old-school twentieth century filmmakers. It is an 8mm camera, a tool responsible for millions of intimate family visual memories from the sixties and seventies, long before digital imperialism started to rule the world of home movies. Kodagolian is no stranger to growing up around such devices. His warm and emotional aesthetics spur from his father having filmed their childhood with said tool, creating his own spliced dramas with family members and siblings playing their silent part. Cutting between scenes and creating small vignettes of his aunt and mother, there is synchronicity between the brains of father and son that make you question even further how far biology goes in deciding our creative outlets.

Albert is Armenian, born in modern Iran when the exotic country was secular, thriving on a progressive democracy. After the religious revolution, Albert emigrated from Iran to Cypress, spending four years in boarding school, then off to Germany, where he spent one year as a refugee before finding his permanent home in the US. His history as a child immigrant, survivor of wars and revolutions, and world-traveled lifestyle post US citizenship all speak back to a global understanding in the tone of Kodagolian’s work. The script, music and general atmosphere of Somewhere Beautiful seem to represent an understanding of our connectivity as a human species, looking past borders and cultural barriers where someone without his experience might not go. The intention for making the movie hence is more a need for an artistic confession toward expressing that connection, than it is an artistic ambition of self.

 Having earned his education at the prestigious USC School of Cinematic Arts, Kodagolian studied traditional film theory alongside that of contemporary filmmakers in classes led by icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Since then, he has produced several independent feature films, which helped him find his love for cinematography and directing, honing his voice within the process. His directorial debut was made working on a public service announcement for a charity based in the UK, which led to extensive experience working on mainstream commercials for brands like Levi’s, Sony and Coca-Cola. There is a level of paradox to the idea that an artist skilled in making award-winning mainstream commercials has just made an indie feature film, but it proved that a passion project can drive someone toward something beyond recognition and high budgets.

Albert Kodagolian is a complete auteur of Somewhere Beautiful, taking on the role as director, co-writer, director of photography, and lead actor. The film features French renowned actor Dominique Pinon (Amelie, Delicatessen) and Argentinian stars María Alché (The Holy Girl) and Pablo Cedrón (The Aura, Aballay). In addition, special appearances are made by Kodagolian’s own daughter, Zoe, as well as Atom Egoyan’s via voicemail, paying homage to the inspiration of the film himself.

Albert’s voice is meditative, and his sense of beauty sophisticated, which is rare in current film production. The U.S. premiere of Somewhere Beautiful taking place during the Arpa International Film Festival, is sure to be an experience to remember.

The film is set to premiere on Saturday, November 5 at 9:00pm at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, California as a part of the Arpa International Film Festival. There will be a reception preceding the film at 7:30pm.

Written by Gregor Zupanc, Artistic Director at the 19th Arpa International Film Festival 2016