Photo: Lisa Hagopian and Eric Harabadian pose with the Best Documentary Award for their film, “We Thrive.” The movie beat six competitors for top honors at the Golden Door International Film Festival of Jersey City in June. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Hagopian)
This is a copy of the original article by Press & Guide, published July 5, 2023.
“We Thrive,” a captivating documentary by two Dearborn Heights filmmakers, scored top honors June 24 at the Golden Door International Film Festival of Jersey City.
The movie, by Lisa Hagopian and Eric Harabadian, beat six other entrants to win the Best Documentary Award. The film is expected to be released to a wider audience this summer and has so far also been accepted into two other festivals.
“We definitely wanted to enter this festival and I’m glad we did because to come home with a win is really exciting,” Harabadian said. “There was a lot of stiff competition from East Coast entries that we watched and supported. I’m so happy the judges made the decision they did.”
“We Thrive” chronicles the Armenian-American musical experience since the Armenian Genocide of 1915 that is often reflected in serious, somber notes and influences. Fast forward more than 100 years and the Armenian musical voice has not only survived – it thrives.
Among those featured in the film are beatboxer Stevie “Stevie Soul” Ansara, legendary composer and musician Dan Yessian, and hard rockers Tia Mayhem and Tanya Venom, who are twin sisters.
Detroit-born blues-rock vocalist, musician, producer, and recording artist Eliza Neals also is in the film. Now based in New Jersey, the Wayne State University grad and onetime opera singer was on hand when the documentary’s award was announced.
“The competition was very diverse,” Hagopian said. “They had categories for music videos, comedies, dramas, and other types of films over the three days of the festival. We watched a lot of movies and met a lot of talented people.”
This is the latest film for Hagopian and Harabadian through their company, Vision 561 Productions. Their most recent effort, “Paradise Boogie,” chronicled Detroit’s rich blues history in the Paradise Valley and Black Bottom neighborhoods.
In a 2022 interview, Hagopian told the Press & Guide that “We Thrive” gets the pair back to their ancestral roots.
“We wanted to show that there’s more to Armenian history and culture than the Genocide (of 1915),” Hagopian said. “We don’t have just Armenian music, we have classical musicians, jazz, blues, rock, probably not what a lot of people expect.”
Up next for the pair is this month’s Detroit Trinity International Film Festival, and continuing work with Detroit Public TV for an upcoming appearance on its “One Detroit” public affairs program.
The Michigan theatrical premiere of “We Thrive” is set for Aug. 2 at the Maple Theater in Bloomfield Twp.
To learn more, visit “We Thrive Movie” on Facebook or vision561.com.
Press & Guide Editor’s note: Eric Harabadian is a freelancer for the Press & Guide.
