Palms (1994)

Palms (1994) is a critically acclaimed docudrama that has garnered numerous international accolades. This innovative film transports viewers back to the fundamental essence of cinema. While often categorized as a docudrama, it transcends conventional definitions, much like any groundbreaking artistic movement. The film conveys an anarchic, messianic message reminiscent of early Christian teachings: "Any authority, any political, social, or religious system is detrimental to human freedom. If you want to be free, leave the system, even at the cost of suffering and deprivation." The film features no soundtrack, except for the voice-over of the author, Artur Aristakisyan, who addresses his yet unborn son. The son, likely destined to be "scooped out of the womb," is offered a path to salvation through sacred "madness." The authenticity of the son's existence and the extraordinary tales Artur shares remains uncertain. However, if these stories are not true, one must question the capability of inventing such narratives. The film's protagonists include a woman who has lain on the ground for forty years, a disabled young man awaiting the Kingdom of God, a mute simpleton who escaped an asylum, a legless man navigating crowds on a trolley, a collector of deceased individuals' clothing, a hunchbacked old woman preserving her beloved hangman's head in a box, a man living with birds in an attic, a blind family surviving through begging, and an old man amassing a mountain of rubbish. Despite the tragic and horrifying nature of these stories, the film manages to evoke a sense of spiritual upliftment and enrichment. Director Artur Aristakisyan reveals his lifelong fascination with beggars, stating, "From childhood, I wanted to make a film about them. Even as a child, I had a relationship with film as if it were a church. It was a God-given territory upon itself. You can't watch a film without wanting to be saved. It's a meeting with the living light. The light works with you as you work with it. I would like the film to answer the need for community—to show how people are tied together, sometimes paradoxically.