A short film by Armenian filmmaker Garush Ghazaryan, My Black Heart follows Poghos, a debt-ridden man living in Yerevan who eagerly waits for his father’s hundredth birthday in order to receive a government gift car that he plans to sell to pay off his debts.

However, the situation spirals into chaos when the grandfather dies on the day of the celebration itself. The family decides to hide the death temporarily and carry out an elaborate deception in order to secure the car before officially reporting the death.

The film combines dark comedy with social drama, using irony and absurd situations to expose fragile family dynamics, moral collapse, and the desperation created by economic hardship. Beneath its humor lies a deeply human story about greed, fear, and emotional emptiness.

Visually, the film relies on realistic compositions and restrained performances, while its atmosphere reflects influences from Eastern European cinema and particularly the tragicomic sensibility associated with Emir Kusturica.

At the fourth edition of the Kobani International Film Festival, the film received the Best Film Award in recognition of its strong dramatic structure, cinematic rhythm, and its ability to transform a simple family incident into a layered social and psychological experience.

Film Information

• Original Title: My Black Heart
• Director & Writer: Garush Ghazaryan
• Cinematography: Vahe Tertyan
• Editing: Gevorg Galstyan
• Production Design: Garush Ghazaryan
• Costume Design: Sofya Hovhannisyan
• Production Year: 2021
• Country: Armenia
• Duration: 15 min 59 sec
• Format: Short Film
• Genre: Social Drama / Dark Comedy

About the Director: Garush Ghazaryan

Garush Ghazaryan is an Armenian filmmaker and screenwriter based in Yerevan. He studied filmmaking at the Yerevan State Institute of Theater and Cinema, where he continues his postgraduate studies.

During his early filmmaking years, he directed, wrote, produced, and edited several short films, in addition to multiple documentary projects focusing on Armenian cultural and artistic figures.

His works are known for blending dark humor with social realism, often focusing on marginalized characters and the contradictions of everyday life. His cinematic style combines realism with visual irony and carries noticeable influences from Eastern European cinema, especially the films of Emir Kusturica.

Selected works include:

• The One (2019)
• Black Home White Home
• Cycle