Filmmaker Tamara Stepanyan Reveals Next Project: Documentary on Domestic Violence Survivors
From Armenian Trauma to Women’s Healing: A Director’s Journey
Award-winning filmmaker Tamara Stepanyan, who recently opened the 78th Locarno Film Festival with “In the Land of Arto,” has revealed her next project will focus on domestic violence survivors and their journey to healing.
Bridging Documentary and Fiction
Known for documentaries like “Embers” and “My Armenian Phantoms,” Stepanyan explains her fluid approach to filmmaking: “There’s a very thin line for me between documentary and fiction – one nourishes the other, one is inspired by the other.” The director confirms she’s developing both documentary and fiction projects simultaneously.
New Documentary: Healing at Maison des Femmes
Shot two years ago at Maison des Femmes (House of Women) near Paris, her upcoming documentary follows women recovering from domestic violence trauma through therapeutic workshops including:
- Oriental dance
- Jewelry making
- Theater
Personal Connection to Trauma and Healing
Stepanyan approached this project while battling cancer, finding parallel experiences between her medical journey and the women’s emotional recovery. “I was feeling that my body was violated by sickness, while their bodies were violated by men,” she shares.
The documentary, set to begin editing in January, will take the form of a personal diary, documenting both the filmmaker’s journey and the women’s paths to reclaiming control over their lives.
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