Pepo (film)

Pepo (Armenian: Պեպո) is a 1935 Soviet drama film based on Gabriel Sundukyan's 1876 play of the same name, scripted and directed by Hamo Beknazarian, with music composed by Aram Khachaturian. Considered the 'most outstanding' film in Soviet cinema before the outbreak of World War II,^[1] the film has gained international recognition and has come to represent Armenian culture abroad.^[2]

Pepo
USSR (Armenfilm) movie "Pepo" (Պեպո) title.
Directed by	Hamo Beknazarian Armen Gulakyan
Written by	Hamo Beknazarian
Starring	Hrachia Nersisyan Avet Avetisyan Hasmik Grigor Avetyan
Cinematography	Dmitri Feldman
Music by	Aram Khachaturian
Production company	Armenfilm
Distributed by	Amkino Corporation (1935) (USA) (subtitled)
Release date	9 October 1935 (1935-10-09)
Running time	88 min.
Country	Soviet Union
Languages	Armenian, Russian

Plot

Set in 19th century Tiflis, the film details the day-to-day life of a poor but honest Armenian fisherman Pepo (Hrachia Nersisyan) who opposes a cunning trader Arutin Kirakozovich Zimzimov (Avet Avetisyan), who has robbed the former by trickery.^[3] The story comes to a conclusion of sorts when Pepo falls in love.^[4]

Cast

• Hrachia Nersisyan – Pepo
• Tatyana Makhmuryan – Kekel, his sister
• David Malyan – Kakuli, a friend
• Avet Avetisyan – Arutin Kirakozovich Zimzimov
• Hambartsum Khachanyan – Darcho, merchant
• Hasmik – Shushan
• Grigor Avetyan – Giko
• Nina Manucharyan – Natel
• Armen Gulakyan – Duduli, a friend
• N. Gevorgyan – Efemia
• Gurgen Gabrielyan – Kinto
• A. Kefchiyan – Pichkhul
• H. Vanyan – Margurit
• M. Garagash – Gevorg, clerk
• Vladimir Barsky – Judge
• V. Bagratuni – Samson
• M. Beroyan – Darcho's mother
• M. Jrpetyan – Gossiper

Images

• 
  Pepo's statue in Yerevan
• 
  Pepo
• 
  Pepo and Zimzimov
• 
  Kekel