Mariam's Day Off

We, the viewers, are witnesses to an act of goodness, in part pure and spontaneous, but perhaps born from other motivations. Of these we know nothing, except for hints in the dialogue. As in the best short stories there are no flashbacks or explanations, and much is left to the imagination.

Script and direction by Arshak Amirbekyan are flawless. Black-and-white cinematography by Andranik Sahakyan is excellent but never distracts from the action. There is no movie music: classical music is used sparingly and in the right places. Much of the movie rests on the shoulders of Ruzan Mesropyan who plays Mariam, and she rises brilliantly to the challenge, The rest of the actors are at the same level. The short running time (45 minutes) is just what the story needs; no more no less.

A superior movie in all aspects, as close to perfect as you can get. Not to be missed.