The Wanderer

Co-created by Silva Chobanyan and Abi Zakarian

A new Armenian folk tale for our times.

Ara has travelled far from one home in search of another; somewhere she hopes to find belonging. Drawn to a fabled mountain in Armenia, she begins an arduous journey to its summit, encountering a magical landscape and mythical creatures who help her find a route to the peak, and to herself. 

Created by Silva Chobanyan and Abi Zakarian, two artists of Armenian heritage, The Wanderer is a multidisciplinary project weaving together film, storytelling and a collaborative tapestry that the audience can help create.

“Take the left path up the Mountain; it’s not been walked in over a century. They will welcome you. Don’t be afraid when they wake.”

The Wanderer explores identity, heritage and diaspora through a universal story of longing – for community, for home, for self-understanding.

Filmed against the vast openness of the Armenian landscape, twenty women hand-tear fabric into irregular patches (karkatan) and stitch them together. Each karkatan becomes a physical echo of memory; together, the fragments form an evolving patchwork, a living map connecting body, land and story. 

After the screening, audiences are invited to stay and add to the patchwork, becoming part of the story. Materials will be provided.

There will be a post-screening Q&A with the co-creators on Fri 13 November.

Commissioned by Tamasha as part of the British Council’s Connections Through Culture Programme

Age rating: 10+