#honour violence

Namus meaning “honor” is a 1925 silent film by Hamo Beknazarian which denounces the harsh rites and customs of Caucasian families. It is widely recognized as the first Armenian feature film.

Based on the 1885 novel of the same name by the Armenian playwright and novelist Alexander Shirvanzade. Namus was first premiered in Yerevan’s Nairi Theatre on April 13, 1926. A few months later it was presented in Moscow. A poster in Leningrad called Namus the “biggest blockbuster of the season” The film had incredible success and brought Beknazarian to fame in the Soviet Union, which helped him in his later works, making him the founder of Armenian cinematography.

The story is set in the Caucasian city of Shemakh, which was a provincial town in pre-revolutionary Russia. The love story involves Seyran, a son of a potter, who secretly meets with Susan, to whom he is engaged. The Armenian customs didn’t tolerate this and strictly prohibited such behavior.  When asked about the film, Hamo Beknazarian said

“I wanted to set the power of custom in the pillory, that stupid force of the concept of father’s honour”