Mayak

A young woman returns to her small North Armenian village to rescue her grandparents from the war that is shaking the region. It is upon her return to her roots that she notices that life in her village flows with all its beauty and sadness, almost in magical ways, regardless of the ever-increasing threats of the war. It is when she understands that there is no escape from the war that the aching beauties of her childhood memories begin to show themselves. It is only then that she discovers that leaving might not be the answer.

Considered by many critics as one of the most significant films of Armenian cinema, THE LIGHTHOUSE is the inaugural feature film crafted by an Armenian woman since the inception of the country's film industry in the 1920s. Mariya Saakyan created a heartwarming, compelling and mysterious masterpiece of cinema which delves deep into the history of a region torn by the war for decades. 

Born in Armenia in 1980, Mariya Saakyan moved to Russia in 1992 where she graduated from VGIK film school. She worked as a creative producer for Andreevsky Flag Film Company from 2003 to 2006 and co-founded Anniko Films alongside Victoria Lupik in 2009. Anniko Films produced Mariya’s two feature films both of which were internationally acclaimed. Her debut feature, THE LIGHTHOUSE, has been considered one of the most important works of Armenian cinema and has been showcased globally at festivals, earning accolades since its release. In 2018, Saakyan passed away at the age of 37 leaving behind a precious and compelling heritage of films.