SYNOPSIS:

Maestro” is the story of the turbulent and triumphant life of Armenia’s most famous artist, Yervand Kochar. Transcending the typical boundaries of stories told of great artists, Kochar’s story is the story of 20th century itself, and of its impact on mankind. Born to an Armenian family in Tiflis, Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire), Kochar witnessed the Armenian Genocide, The Bolshevik Revolution, and two World Wars. He conquered Paris in the 1930’s, where people like Picasso, Dali, and the top art critics admired his work. Kochar revolutionized art by his “space paintings,” which introduced time as a new dimension in painting. At the peak of his fame and fortune, and on the verge of becoming an international success, Kochar’s fate twisted when he visited Soviet Armenia in 1937. Without a trial, he was imprisoned by the Stalinist regime, tortured, and not allowed to return to Paris or paint again. During his long imprisonment, everything was taken away from him, including his wife, who—after waiting in Paris for him for 20 years—committed suicide. A high-ranking female KGB agent was sent to spy on Kochar; instead, she fell in love with him and married him to save his life from a growing number of Soviet enemies. A hostage in his own country, Kochar became an inspiration for a whole progressive movement in arts and culture. Not allowed to paint, Kochar began to sculpt for the first time, and his magnificent sculptures became symbols of Armenia and its people. Picasso once confided to Kochar that time was his enemy; Kochar confided to Picasso that time was his true friend. He is the artist of the 21st century, the artist that the world is waiting to meet.