Author Archives: Florida Armenians
Armenians in Naples Meet Designer Michael Aram
(L-R) Frank Avakian-Stoneson, Michael Aram, Rev. Fr. Garabed Kochakian
By Frank Avakian-Stoneson
FLArmenians Naples Contributor
NAPLES, FL – Members of the Armenian Church of Southwest Florida (ACSWFL) parish community were honored to attend a special showing by Michael Aram, the world-renowned artist and designer of his Spring 2017 fine jewelry and home collection on Friday, February 10, 2017 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Naples. In addition to the preview of his collection, there was an engaging Question and Answer session with the artist, with highlighted discussion about the Noah’s Ark sculpture designed by Mr. Aram for presentation to Pope Francis by the Armenian Catholicos as a gift on behalf of the people of Armenia during the Pope’s visit to Armenia last June.
Mr. Aram also discussed the strong emotions felt during the design and sculpting of ‘Migrations,’ a piece to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which is displayed on the plaza of the Diocese of the Armenian Church headquarters in New York City for public view.
We all left in awe of the talent and humbleness of Mr. Aram, who is so proud to be an Armenian American. The ACSWFL thanks community member Cherie Dunnigan, herself a jewelry designer, for providing us with the invitations.
Florida Premier of ‘Earthquake’ to Take Place in Miami on March 2
MIAMI, FL – The Florida premier of ‘Earthquake,’ a drama set in Soviet Armenia about the tragic 1988 earthquake in Gyumri (Leninakan), Armenia will take place at the O Cinema in Miami Beach, Florida on Thursday, March 2, 2017 at 7:00pm. This will be the first and only screening of the film in Florida.
Based on a true story, ‘Earthquake’ is a dramatized recreation of one of the Soviet Union’s most devastating natural disasters — a massive 7.0 earthquake that struck northern Armenia in December 1988 — produced by Mars Media in Russia and directed by Sarik Andreasyan. ‘Earthquake’ tells the story of the massive quake that struck Armenia’s second largest city, destroyed more than 300 communities, and killed about 30,000 people.
Focused around the story of two young men, Andrey Berezhnov and Robert Melkonyan, whose fates were already intertwined by an earlier tragedy — a car crash caused by Andrey that killed Robert’s parents — the film brings them together in the same rescue squad of Gyumri (formerly Leninakan) as they struggle to cope with a disaster that eclipses their own personal stories.
Directed by Sarik Andreasyan, the film is in Russian with English subtitles. It was selected by Armenia as an entry for the 89th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
Tickets are $18 (non-refundable and can not be exchanged) and available for purchase online here. The film is only for viewers 16 years+, and not recommended for pregnant women and people suffering from heart disease
You can RSVP on Facebook and connect with other attendees here. For background information on the Gyumri earthquake, watch the ABC News coverage from 1988 below.
Florida Armenians 