You will meet different people sharing the same stories in a village with closed roads, without gas, without young people. Having won the difficult and uncertain conditions of survival the 12 remaining families have a relative, neighbor or a family member who has left the village. People have left this country, these mountains, this soil, this village and everyone. Reasons? There are many.
The village, nestled in the foothill of Abul is 13 km south-east of Akhalkalaki. It is 1960m above the sea level and this height makes itself known especially in the winter time, when the only road connecting the village with the city is closed down.
In order to know everyone in the village one needs only couple of hours. Those who are still here, joke that the village is like a nursing home for the elderly: all young people have left with a hope of finding a better life. Even though the villagers talk about their neighbors, relatives or family members who have left with a pride, but there is a big sorrow in their hearts. It is the pain of being far away from the beloved ones. It is the dying shine of the eyes of mothers who long to see their children but in the same time live with their success. And at last, it is the uncertain pain of the village future.
Ghubasaryan family. They have 4 daughters and all of them left the village. The couple never thought about leaving the village. Even though both Vigen and Natasha are sick, but they don’t want to leave the village.
It has been several days that Percho and his wife Manik are living on their own. Two of their grandchildren moved to Akhalkalaki to study at school there. They have 17 grandchildren who live in Armenia or in Russia. Percho is proudly speaking about their success, saying that they all got higher education and are working in different organizations.
The village school reminds of a real family: caring teachers and only 3 students from the same family. Eprikyan Anahit, the mother of the students is satisfied with the education children receive in the village. The 4th student in the village will be her daughter, Artsvik (in Armenian “eagle”). She is the real bearer of her name: with the eagle vision and innocent child curiosity she notices all changes in the village. During our shooting we became friends with the brave girl, who is actively engaged in the village life, who cares for the 3 months old sister and is getting ready for the student life caring the alphabet and notebooks in her pink backpack.
Artsvik and her sisters are the future of the village, who, one day, might marry and leave, or like the other young people, leave the village searching for a better life.
And even if there comes a day, that the future leaves the village, the road hugging the hills and stretching through the sky will at least one day in a year, bring everyone back to celebrate the village day...