criticism

interview Eric Nazarian: 'Storytelling is a medicine and a drug' His projects run the gamut—from documentaries on nearly-forgotten cultural relics to award-winning short films to beautiful animation videos for nonprofit campaigns. The list goes on. Eric Nazarian’s uphill climb in the world of cinema has been meticulous yet approached with the levity of a schoolboy, still excited at the prospect of living out his childhood dream every day. Tall, gregarious, yet almost unbelievably humble, his cadence is distinctly Angelino, but his prose reads like a carefully crafted Faulkner novel—fitting, as the writer was one of his childhood influences. Somehow, we managed to snag the busy filmmaker for a chat, and with the help of a little ale from the Irish pub across the street, he opened up about a variety of topics—not the least of which, his artistic muses and mistresses, inspirations and heroes.

interview Vahé Berberian: 'You need to have some kind of a mirror' He is a seasoned stand-up comedian who makes awkward confessions and tells hilarious real-life anecdotes in a daring effort to break taboos. He is best known for his use of local words and flavors of the Armenian language to help us laugh at ourselves, yet he's a versatile artist who paints and writes with equal passion. Even at his most serious moment, when reflecting on everything from the creative process to why it matters to be Armenian, Vahé Berberian never fails to strike an ironic chord. We meet him twice in his birthplace Beirut, between his shows and lectures, in an attempt to connect with the wizard of art and humor behind the celebrity.