TEZETA • Filmhuis Denhaag Filmhuis Denhaag

Aramazt Kalayjian, Garegin Papoyan

TEZETA - Armenian films

TEZETA tells the unique story of Armenia's contribution to Ethiopian music, from royal adoption to jazz revolution, with memories of greats, forgotten clubs and a lost golden music era.

TEZETA tells the story of a small, country-less community of Armenians and their contribution to Ethiopian music and culture in Addis Ababa's old city center of Piassa. With the unexpected royal adoption of 40 Jerusalem orphans by Emperor Haile Selassie and their role as the first Ethiopian imperial band, these orphans would make way for the popularization of brass instruments, the composed music of the country’s first national anthem by Kevork Nalbandian, and in later decades led by his nephew Nerses, a jazz fusion revolution that sweeps the country before descending into the throes of the strict musical censorship laws under the communist Derg regime. 


TEZETA reveals a uniquely Ethiopian musical story that was once lost to memory, told through first-hand accounts with music researcher Francis Falceto, Ethiopian jazz greats Alemayehu Eshete, Mulatu Astatke, Girum Mezmur, Sammy Yirga as well as Vahé, the only performing Ethiopian-Armenian singer in Addis Ababa today.

Featuring one of the last interviews with singer Alemayehu Eshete, music producer Ameha Eshete, director Abate Mekurya and one of the last performances of mandolinist Ayele Mamo, TEZETA opens a door of melodic light to memories of a popular and bustling jazz club now gone, a beloved teacher who was the "godfather of Ethiopian modern music", and a golden musical era forgotten by many.

Director biography

Aramazt Kalayjian was born May 7th, 1982 in New York, U.S.A. He studied at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York where he received his Bachelors in Fine Arts in Communications Design. He is debuting his first film in the music documentary, TEZETA, which was shot over the course of a decade.

Kalayjian’s prior film work had focused on advertising before attending the Maysles Institute in East Harlem, centering on studies in independent documentary filmmaking. His first directed music video with music performer, Vahe, received international recognition in Africa being aired on South Africa’s Channel 0.

Kalayjian currently lives in New York and Yerevan working on a screenplay for a taxi driver anthology that weaves a city together through a panoply of taxi driver experiences, as well as a documentary about the global obesity epidemic despite modern medicine and cultural shifts regarding nutrition.

Garegin Zhirayr Papoyan was born on June 30, 1985 in Yerevan, Armenia. He studied in Armenian State University of Economics and worked in the sphere of communication for 10 years.

Garegin has over five years of experience in documentary photography. He has worked as a cinematographer for various TV programs and films at the TV channel Shoghakat for a year. Garegin shot his first documentary short film in 2015 called Skhtorashen. In 2021, Garegin completed his next film, his first feature documentary, Bon Voyage. His upcoming feature documentary, Tezeta, which he co-directed, is completed and due for release in 2024.

Currently, he is working on the documentary feature, Searching for Cinema, which will be ready for release in 2025. In addition, Garegin continues to contribute to film culture, working on film restorations of classic Armenian cinema, such as Land of Nairi, House on the Volcano, and Lur-da-Lur.

Documentary Voices from the Armenian Highlands and Diaspora

On November 16th, Filmhuis Den Haag will showcase a selection of Armenian films as part of the Armenian Cultural Weekend. This special weekend is organized in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Armenian Cultural Association Abovian. During this event, the rich Armenian culture will be highlighted, featuring a diverse program that allows visitors to explore the history, art, and traditions of Armenia. See the program here.

Regisseur Aramazt Kalayjian, Garegin Papoyan
Land Ethiopië, Armenië
Taal Engels, Armeens, Amhaars
Ondertiteling Engels
Speelduur 99 min
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