Revival, the latest feature film by Armenian director Jivan Avetisyan, explores humanity’s struggle between conscience and ambition through a powerful and unconventional lens, blending war, memory, and the evolution of artificial intelligence.
Set against the backdrop of the 2020 Artsakh War and the global COVID-19 pandemic, Revival follows a university professor whose AI creation exposes hidden war crimes, forcing him to confront truth, morality, and his own identity.
The film presents AI not as a mechanical or dystopian force, but as an emerging consciousness shaped by human experience, offering a story of accountability, redemption, and hope rising from the aftermath of war.
Avetisyan recently completed post-production on the film, which is a co-production between Armenia, Cyprus, and Lithuania, with a planned release in 2026.
The film is produced by K?stutis Drazdauskas (Lithuania), co-produced by Constantinos Nikiforou (Cyprus), and executive produced by Adrineh Mirzayan, Armand Assante, and Nick Bimonte (USA).
Revival features an international cast that includes Armand Assante, Maia Morgenstern, Heino Ferch, Robin Hairabian, Clémence Baudouin, Babken Chobanyan, and Narine Petrosyan.
Avetisyan is widely known for films rooted in the lived experiences of Artsakh, including Tevanik, The Last Inhabitant, and Gate to Heaven.
An eyewitness to the 2020 Artsakh War, he spent 38 days documenting war crimes committed against the Armenian population, experiences that continue to inform his cinematic work.
Born in Gyumri, raised in Artsakh, and based in Yerevan, Avetisyan is an internationally award-winning filmmaker and a member of Berlinale Talents 2020, the MIDPOINT Institute, and the European Film Academy.
In the coming weeks, Avetisyan will visit Los Angeles for a series of Gate to Heaven screenings beginning January 21, offering audiences an opportunity to engage with his earlier work as anticipation builds for Revival.
Beyond Revival, Avetisyan is developing several upcoming projects, including the feature films Angels 2020 and Black List, the television miniseries The Stateless Diplomat based on Diana Abgar’s legacy, and the animated project Baa’bel.
