Private Project

The Lullaby

A mother who believes the promise of her lullaby is looking for her son who went missing in the war.

  • Siranush Vardanyan
    Director
  • Siranush Vardanyan
    Writer
  • Siranush Vardanyan
    Producer
  • Manuk Vardanyan
    Producer
  • Anush Aslibekyan
    Key Cast
    "The Mother"
  • Arnold Ghazaryan
    Key Cast
    "The Son"
  • Iren Mirzoyan
    Key Cast
    "The Child"
  • Aaron Nerkararyan
    Director of Photography
  • Khachatur Avetisyan
    Composer
  • Meri Aygetsi
    Song Performer
  • Siranush Vardanyan
    Editor
  • Pavel Terteryan
    Color Grading
  • Elina Romanova
    Music (Handpan)
  • Georgy Givargizov
    Sound Designer
  • Talida Karapetyan
    Production Designer
  • Lilit Antonyan
    Production Designer Assistant
  • Anna Mirzoyan
    First AD
  • Arsen Hovhannisyan
    Camera assistant
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Օրոր
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Feature, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, War
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    300 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Armenia
  • Country of Filming:
    Armenia
  • Language:
    Armenian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16.9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Yerevan State Theatre and Film Institute (YSTFI)
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • ONE SHOT International Short Film Festival
    Yerevan
    Armenia
    June 8, 2024
    Yerevan Premiere
    THE BEST ARMENIAN CINEMA WITHOUT BORDERS
  • Rolan International Film Festival
    Yerevan
    Armenia
    November 6, 2024
    Special Mention
  • Film Competition by the Armenian Museum of Moscow
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    January 30, 2025
    Best Young Armenian Cinema
Director Biography - Siranush Vardanyan

Siranush Vardanyan (born in 2002, Chita, Russia) is a film director and photographer based in Yerevan, Armenia

She holds a BA in Feature Film Directing from the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinema, under the masterclass of Edgar Baghdasaryan. Her diploma film ''Timeless'' premiered at the ReAnimania International Animation Film Festival.

With over five years of experience across fiction, documentary, animation, and visual storytelling, she explore memory and time through poetic realism rooted in Armenian cultural identity and personal histories.
Filmography: "Timeless" (2025/animated short), "Ayg[Dawn]" (2025/doc)", "The Lullaby" (2024/short).

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Director Statement

This film tells a story of ethereal maternal love, capable of preserving hope amid unbearable pain.

The film is dedicated to the 200+ Armenian soldiers missing after the war.

The idea was born after the 2020 war in Artsakh and deepened during the 2023 blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan. While studying Armenian lullabies, I realized their significance in a war-torn nation—they hold not only maternal care but also the collective memory of a nation, its pain, and hope. The film is personal to me, as the war also impacted those close to me, including friends and brothers who fought.

War is a universal tragedy, making this film relevant across time and nations.

The Film’s Lullaby

I chose a lesser-known Armenian lullaby composed by Khachatur Avetisyan with lyrics by Ludwig Duryan, aiming also to contribute to the promotion of Armenian art. This song expresses a mother’s unconditional love and hope for her child’s strength and purity. The mother assures that her love and protection will always be near, and no evil force will ever reach him. This song deeply aligns with the film’s narrative and dramaturgy. The new rendition by Mery Aygetsi adds depth and emotional intensity.

Visual Style

The film’s minimalistic visual approach focuses on hands, light, and color to highlight the natural and delicate mother-son bond. Soft, warm tones and natural lighting evolve with their emotions, carrying the story’s essence.

The Cast

Authenticity was key in casting. The mother’s hands belong to dramaturg Anush Aslibekyan, whose hands embody the grace and tenderness of motherhood, while the son’s hands are played by Arnold Ghazaryan, a war survivor, adding real-life depth to his role.

Through this film, I explore the resilience of maternal love in the face of loss, a theme that remains deeply relevant today.