Message about Helping, Forgiving, and Loving – Mane Sergoyan

The Choice” – A Short Social Film by Mane Serghoyan

The short social film The Choice has been presented at several prestigious film festivals, including Web Djiran, Aurora, Art Fest, Meka Kadre, and Sose Film Festivals. The author of the film, Mane Serghoyan, is currently finishing her fourth year in TV direction at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography. This film is her diploma work.

Mane, who is also an active member of the Sevan Youth Club NGO, kindly shared the idea behind the film, its inspiration, and the journey from thought to execution.

The Concept of the Film:

The main idea of The Choice is that each person decides who they want to be and what path they will take in life. There is always an “if” in everyone’s life, and it is this “if” that can change many things in our lives. However, in order to make that change, one must be able to choose between two aspects of oneself and always nourish the positive side — by doing good deeds and, most importantly, by loving, because love is the answer to everything in this world.

Plot:

The story revolves around a girl sitting at the book launch of young writer Armen Arazi’s first book. As the writer presents his work to the audience, he begins to talk about the heroine of his book. The girl, sitting in the audience, identifies with the book’s heroine and, influenced by the story, mentally relives her day. As the writer starts discussing three key human values—helping, forgiving, and loving—the girl mentally experiences common, everyday situations where she must choose whether to help, forgive, and love others.

The film’s main idea is that everyone can choose who they want to be and which path they will take. In life, there is always an “if,” and this “if” has the potential to alter our lives significantly. But in order to change, we must nourish the good inside of us—through positive actions, and most importantly, through love.

Throughout the film, the author of the book introduces the heroine and the story. The girl only snaps out of her thoughts when the writer states that there is always a new opportunity to change our lives because God gives us the chance to wake up again the next day.

Symbolism in Characters:

The characters in the film are symbolic and do not have a detailed backstory. The heroine represents much of the current youth—indifferent, disconnected from others, and unaware of how to forgive and show compassion. The heroine is each of us—me, you, and anyone else—because we always have the chance to do good, yet sadly, people are often drawn to doing wrong. The film focuses on the decision to overcome that wrong and choose the good.

The other characters the girl encounters along her journey are also symbolic, representing real-life individuals we meet in our everyday experiences. Each of them needs just a little bit of attention—something as simple as recognition.

The writer of the book plays a pivotal symbolic role in the story, representing God’s voice—constantly reminding us, sending us signs, and guiding us on the right path. However, we, as “all-powerful” humans, sometimes complicate things and derail the journey by imposing our own will.

The Journey from Idea to Execution:

The initial idea for the film came to Mane while walking down the street. She wanted to demonstrate that the choices we make shape our lives and the world around us. The characters came together from real-life encounters—people she met in her daily life.

The transition from concept to execution was relatively smooth because she knew exactly what she wanted to convey and achieve with the film. Although there were some challenges in preparing for the shoot, everything was made easier thanks to a dedicated team and their hard work.

As for the question of whether the final result matched her original vision, Mane confidently says that, yes, it did. While there are always areas for improvement, she believes that the film is a success overall.

Vision for Sevan:

When asked about her vision for her birthplace, Sevan, Mane shared her dream of seeing the town thrive with a rich cultural life, bustling with young people. She believes that it is the youth who keep a city vibrant and alive. Ever since starting her artistic journey, Mane has worked hard to contribute to the cultural development of Sevan, and she feels that, little by little, she is seeing the results of her efforts.

As a passionate lover of Sevan, she hopes that in the future, the city will become a hub of cultural activity, attracting even more young people and fostering a creative, vibrant community.

Mane’s film, The Choice, and her vision for Sevan reflect her deep commitment to exploring important values such as love, forgiveness, and making meaningful decisions—both as an artist and as an individual. Her work is a reflection of the aspirations of today’s youth, seeking to shape a better future.