Armenia: A Love Story

Mark Tomlet, an American teenager becomes intrigued by Armenia's history and culture after learning about the conflict from a friend's war correspondent father. Mark and his friend Amy embark on a life-changing journey to Armenia, visiting the war zone of Artsakh, and in the process, learn a lot about themselves. That first trip leads to more engagement with Armenia, leading tours to the country, and eventually, something amazing happens that brings joy out of the tragedy of war. It's a serendipitous story of hope from tragedy, a chance adventure, and love blossoming even in the worst of circumstances.

  • Chuck Holton
    Director
    The Lost Shipwreck of Paul, The Fight for Light (Life of Duty Frontlines) Russian Atrocities in Ukraine (2022)
  • Chuck Holton
    Writer
    The Lost Shipwreck of Paul, The Fight for Light (Life of Duty Frontlines) Russian Atrocities in Ukraine (2022)
  • Chuck Holton
    Producer
    The Lost Shipwreck of Paul, The Fight for Light (Life of Duty Frontlines) Russian Atrocities in Ukraine (2022)
  • Mark Tomlet
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Amy Holton
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Nathan Holton
    Key Cast
  • Rubina Hovhannisyan
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Romance, Adventure Travel, Current Events, News, War
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 1 minute
  • Completion Date:
    April 1, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    21,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Armenia, Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, Sony A7S, Iphone 14 Pmx
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Moscow Theater
    Yerevan
    Armenia
    June 28, 2023
    Premiere
Director Biography - Chuck Holton

Chuck Holton has built a multifaceted career as a war correspondent, author, businessman and motivational speaker. At just 17, he joined the United States Army, attending Airborne, Ranger, and Jumpmaster schools, among others. He served in Operation Just Cause in Panama, and later as an instructor at the United States Military Academy. After four years of active duty, he transitioned to the National Guard, where he flew OH-58 scout helicopters as an Aeroscout Observer.

Holton has authored eight books, including the Task Force Valor Series, Making Men and Prowess, and collaborated with LtCol Oliver North on two others. A war correspondent since 2003, he has been actively covering wars and disasters around the globe, reporting for the Christian Broadcasting Network, the Life of Duty Network, Newsmax, Fox and others. From 2012 to 2018, Holton hosted a web-only show called Life of Duty: Frontlines, and since 2019, he has produced a thrice-weekly video podcast, "The Hot Zone with Chuck Holton."

Married with five grown children, Holton is fluent in Spanish, functional in French and has a basic knowledge of Ukrainian and Russian. He splits his time between Panama and West Virginia. His extensive military experience, combined with his ongoing work as an author and journalist, has made him a respected voice in the field.

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Director Statement

When I went to cover the war in Artsakh in 2020, I had no idea I would be the only American TV journalist to do so. While there, I fell in love with the people of Armenia, their language, culture, history, and food! As I got to know Armenia better, I realized the thing the country needs most is recognition - If the world knew Armenia, they would love Armenia and if they loved Armenia, they would support her the way they have supported Ukraine.

I decided to make "Armenia: a Love Story" to raise awareness for all Armenia has to offer, and in the process, something amazing happened. Watch the documentary to find out!