Private Project

One, Two, Three

The film tells the story of old and lonely people, who at the end of their lives decided to fight against their despair and hopelessness through dance and friendship.
“One…two…three, one…two…three, one…two…three.” Armenia’s only elderly dance troupe is practicing for their latest performance. But they are not just learning the steps to a new dance; they are learning that you are never too old to turn your life around. Mikhail (80) collects garbage from streets yet dances… Mariam (58) is just out of mental hospital yet dances… Anahit (64) puts flowers on the graves of her lost eight kids yet dances. They are all ‘The Chosen Ones’, a group of fifteen elderly and lonely people who dance to overcome their hardships and find a sense of meaning and joy in their lives once more.
Their situations look bleak, with meager pensions that allow each one to buy one loaf of bread per day, with no family to turn to for help. This film is about the possibility that at any moment in life, no matter how dark, there is always a chance to turn it all around. Through their performances and new companionship, each one of The Chosen One’s dance troupe members is trying to move forward with newfound hopes of love, wonder and possibilities for the future.

This film has the potential for its depiction of loneliness among the older population and methods of addressing it and overcoming it to have an impact among its audiences. Loneliness among the elderly is a big problem in Armenia. Older people without family find themselves cut off from their communities. We aim to inspire and empower the younger Armenian population to care for their elderly neighbors and to create similar projects to connect the older population once again with their community.

  • Arman Yeritsyan
    Director
    • Donkeymentary (2012) • 15 Young by Young: Kings for Sale (2012) • The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia (2010) • Aram Khachatryan (2007) • Hello Felini (2006) • Under the Open Sky (2005) • Want to Say (2003) • The End (2003)
  • Arman Yeritsyan
    Writer
    • "Donkeymentary" (2012) • "15 Young by Young: Kings for Sale" (2012) • "The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia" (2010) • "Aram Khachatryan" (2007) • "Hello Felini" (2006) • "Under the Open Sky " (2005) • "Want to Say" (2003) • "The End" (2003)
  • Vardan Hovhannisyan
    Producer
    • “Elephant Soldiers” • “Begging For the Poor ” • Bal Arakshaks: The World’s Tiniest Officers,• “Donkeymentary”, • 15 Young by Young: “Kings for Sale” • “The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia” • “A Story of People in War and Peace” • “Prison Art”, • “Non-Stop”, • “To Be and Never Forget”, • “Winter Melody”
  • Inna Sahakyan
    Producer
    • "Blanketed Snows" • "The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia" •
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 14 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 14, 2015
  • Country of Filming:
    Armenia, Germany, Norway
  • Language:
    Armenian, Russian
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival 2015
    Yerevan
    Armenia
    June 17, 2015
Director Biography - Arman Yeritsyan

Graduated from Yerevan Pedagogical University Film Department Arman Yeritsyan has directed a large number of PSAs and award-winning documentaries including, Under the Open Sky and Hello Felini. He worked in “Monarch Films”, “Internews Armenia”, “Russian Today” TV Channel as well as different Armenian TV Channels. He taught a series of workshops and master classes on documentary filmmaking and TV journalism at Moscow State University, VGIK, Russian Internews, South Caucasus Young Documentary Filmmakers Forum, Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinema. He was jury member at “Golden Apricot” International Film Festival, Banff World Media Festival, Banff World Media Festival, “Russia” Documentary Film Festival, “Saratov Sufferings” International Documentary Festival, “Message to Man” International Film Festival and “South Caucasus Young Documentary Filmmakers Forum”.
Since 2007 Arman is collaborating with Bars Media Documentary Film Studio, directing several documentary films as “The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia” (co-production with NHK, ITVS, YLE, SVT and TVP), “Donkeymentary”(co-production with ARTE) and “15 Young by Young: Kings for Sale”(co-production with ARTE France, Avantis Promo, Alegria Productions).

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Director Statement

Birth and death are the two experiences that we all share as humans. Birth is joyful and always celebrated in society. The other experience we all share, death, is neglected and hidden. This is part of our condition: we do not like to come face to face with our own end, especially if it appears lonely and unhappy. In Armenia, like many other places around the world, society offers no place for the older generation. There is a common notion among young people that the problems of seniors differ from theirs, but is that really true?

With this film, I want to challenge the boundaries and prejudices that disconnect the elderly from society as a whole and from their personal dreams. Behind their clumsy moves and smiles are personal dramas and lives that have been filled with struggle and loneliness. Despite their personal pain, this group of elderly dancers has come together to prove that they still have a place and a purpose in our communities. The courage of the elderly who dare to challenge the banality and loneliness of what is inevitable for us all is inspiring.

This group proves with each performance that even a life spent in hardship is worth living until the last minute. They prove that it is never too late to fall in love and make plans for the future. Through dance each one helps the other, and their audiences, believe in a hope and optimism that transcends age, belief, culture and language through emotions. With them we can celebrate life and challenge ourselves to begin again every day. This film is about the victories achievable at any age and that it is never too late to reach for the happiness that we all seek.