Outliving Shakespeare
In a decaying retirement home from Soviet times, a vibrant group of elders cling to life by staging Shakespeare. Loneliness lingers beyond the theatre’s doors until drama begins to blur with reality.
“To be or not to be?” echoes through the halls of a derelict Armenian care home, where a group of elderly residents rehearse Shakespeare’s Sins, an original play in which the renowned playwright’s own characters confront him over their tragic fates. From casting to premiere night, Outliving Shakespeare follows the residents’ theatre troupe as they grow closer, transforming from a lighthearted look at aging into a deeper, thought-provoking exploration of the loneliness that accompanies it. As the production unfolds, the theatre begins to mirror reality. A tender yet unsparing portrait of a generation that once lived fully and, now waiting in the wings, still finds moments of vitality, connection and joy.
SCREENINGS
Thursday 5 November 16:30
Saturday 7 November 21:30
Programme section(s): Docs Open Debates
Original title: Outliving Shakespeare | Year: 2025 | Runtime: 94′
Country: Armenia, Netherlands | Language: Armenian | Subtitles: English
Director: Inna Sahakyan, Ruben Ghazaryan | Production: Vardan Hovhannisyan, Inna Sahakyan, Mariam Davtyan – Bars Media; Bind | Screenplay: Inna Sahakyan, Lilit Movsisyan | Cinematography: Bagrat Saroyan | Editing: Artur Sahakyan | Sound: Lennert Hunfeld
FESTIVALS & AWARDS (SELECTION)
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, 2025 – World Premiere | Trieste Film Festival, 2026 – Best Documentary | goEast, Festival of Central and Eastern European Film, 2026 – Best Documentary, FIPRESCI Prize | DOK.fest München, 2026 | Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival, 2026 | International Film Festival Signs of the Night, 2026 – The Night Award | Armenian National Film Academy, Anahit Awards, 2026 – Best Documentary
DIRECTOR’S BIO
Inna Sahakyan is a documentary filmmaker and producer whose work uncovers forgotten stories through deeply human, character-driven narratives. Her films include the award-winning The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia and Mel. Her animated documentary Aurora’s Sunrise (2022), about Armenian Genocide survivor and early Hollywood star Aurora Mardiganian, won major awards, including the APSA Award for Best Animated Film, the Movies that Matter Special Mention and Audience Award, the Audience Award at IDFA, and the Grand Prix at FIFDH Geneva.
Ruben Ghazaryan is an Armenian filmmaker experienced in international documentary co-productions. A graduate of the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography and VGIK Moscow, he has directed, filmed and edited numerous projects in Armenia and abroad. At Bars Media Studio, he created acclaimed TV documentary series such as Mysteries of Armenia, My Army and Road. He has collaborated with Inna Sahakyan on various projects, including Aurora’s Sunrise.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Their real life stories were as deep as Shakespeare, but so much more real to us.
