Slamdance is one helluva time. Elegy screened in the Anarchy competition on three separate occasions, and got a great response from everyone who saw it. People really are taken with my character — often people refer to his face and eyes as being especially emotive. It’s a wonderful feeling to be stopped by some random couple on the street to tell me that they loved my piece, and were very moved by it. Sadly, it didn’t get enough votes drummed up to win Global Anarchy. (It’s up to us, after all, to push for the votes!) However, Slamdance is not a festival to let you down!

I do need to mention a couple fantastic films. On the Outs was absolutely phenomenal — and won the grand jury prize for best narrative feature. And Abel Raises Cain, a fantastic and comic documentary which won it’s juried competition. Keep an eye out for these jems!

I just discovered that Elegy has been accepted into the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas! This happens to be one of the top 10 international film festivals and it’s incredible news!

The Slamdance Film Festival is coming up in a couple weeks! Elegy will be screening in the Global Anarchy competition, and there’s still time for all of you people out there to vote! Check it out!

I’ve also discovered that several cool music acts will be playing during Slamdance. Prince Paul of Handsome Boy Modeling School, Bernie Worrell from Talking Heads, and Michael Franti of Spearhead are set to play in Park City. The slate is full of other great bands who will be performing throughout the festival week.

This past October I screened my animated short Elegy at the Arpa International Film Festival where it was nominated for Best Animation. Jenny Kiljian of the Asbarez Armenian Newspaper was kind enough to write a very nice review in last week’s edition.

You know it’s a damn good party when you don’t stumble into bed until 5:30 in the morning. Istanbul Armenians really know how to have a good time — how lucky am I! After having spent the last couple of New Year’s parties with non-Armenian friends, I had forgotten how much unabashed fun it is partying with “the clan.” Or, I realize that I had at least taken it for granted.

New Year’s was spent in Los Angeles at the party the Organization of Istanbul Armenians threw — or Bolseh-Hye Myoutyoun as it is more affectionately called. Quite fitting since some of my relatives from Istanbul are also here to visit, and it was a small reunion of sorts.

It really was the absolute perfect evening as far as these things go: fabulous plates of every kind of meze you could possibly imagine, coupled with the obligatory glasses of rakı. This followed by plates of kufte, pilaf, chicken and lamb. However I never made it past the meze, since the music had started and it was time to dance! First ones on the floor, of course. Leave it to Bolseh-Hyes to bring some Brazilian dancers to join and enhance the intoxication. Brushed up on my salsa and samba a little — I need more practice but, man! does it help having an excellent partner! The musical selections for the evening were superb with the perfect blend of Armenian, Arabic, Greek, Spanish, Brazilian, and YES, Turkish. Not one style was played more than the other, and we drank up every moment on the dance floor.

At an Istanbul Armenian New Year’s party, there comes a time late in the evening (1am?), when the steaming bowls of işkembe çorba arrive for your gastric pleasure. This potent soup of beef tripe, vinegar and garlic is supposed to clear your system, and prevent a floor-dropping hangover. Fantastic stuff, but may I warn you, it is to say the least, an acquired taste. Lap it up! Of course we also had the traditional New Year’s Armenian dessert anoush abour, with tea and a soothingly smooth, 15 year old cognac that my uncle brought for the celebration. Oh… the sweet contentment all of this brings!

The Bolseh-Hye party lasted until 3am when we were finally the last one’s on the dance floor. We finished up the evening at my uncle’s house, gathered round a roaring fire. My brother and Shant played some piano and guitar and, of course, there was more işkembe çorba to be had by all. And chocolate, and more cognac, and alour helvah, and yes, even left-over pizza.

There’s really not much more you could ask for when celebrating the new year. All I can say is, I’m damn lucky to have this family, and have this culture and history saturate my life.