The Quest Begins
A mythic quest unfolds in the shadow of an ancient Armenian legend. The Quest Begins is the first cinematic chapter of The Bird of a Thousand Voices, where music, myth and landscape merge to introduce an epic folktale adventure.
the path of no return
Set in an ancient Armenian kingdom, a young prince embarks on a perilous journey to find the mythical Bird of a Thousand Voices; a creature whose song can restore harmony to a grieving land. Blending epic landscapes, mythic storytelling and Tigran Hamasyan’s powerful jazz-prog composition, the film introduces the world of The Bird of a Thousand Voices: a cinematic universe and stage play inspired by the folktale Hazaran Blbul.
Shot on location in Armenia, including the 10th-century Amberd Fortress on Mount Aragats, the film combines large-scale visual craft with poetic symbolism, offering a glimpse into a larger narrative that will unfold across film, performance and interactive storytelling.
“Dutch director Ruben Van Leer brings an ancient Armenian folktale to life in spectacular fashion. Shot in stunning locations, the scale and craft of the visuals suggest a big-budget production.”
credits
| director | Ruben Van Leer |
| DP | Noel Schoolderman |
| dancers | Ema Yuasa, Rodrigo Ribeiro |
| choreo | Lukas Timulak |
| 1st AD | Gelder Dermout |
| focus puller | Luuk Schmitz |
| prod.design | Nicole Van Houweninge (BLA) |
| art.dir | Anke Haitsma, Ella Meesters |
| gaffer | Nicholas Burrough |
| best.boys | Said Snono, Tara Bisoen, Ayke Govaart, Tim Van Gils |
| grip | Bjorn Schumacher |
| stylist | Esmée Croqué |
| MUHA | Kimm Bakkers |
| rig.stunts | Simon Van Lammeren |
| PA's | Said Aafer, Thijs Visser |
| editing | Greg Pereira |
| compositing | Danny Merk, Tim Smit, Ruben Van Leer |
| 3D | Tim Van Der Wiel |
| grading | Tim Van Paassen (The Compound) |
| SFX | Alexander Nezhinskiy (EvolSound) |
| sound.rec | Earforce |
| music | "Elevation" Braxe+Falcon featuring Sunni Colón |
| docu artists | Teis Semey, Giovanni Iacovella |
| extras | Lucas Martinez, Gabriel De Oliveira, Bjørk Semey, Sam Newbould, Xavi Torres |
| live sound | Hayden Hook (DAM Recordings) |
| prod.co | Popcorn Brain |
| exec.prod | Daniel Bruce, Diego Molina |
| producer | Els Tau |
| story board | Cenk Gungor |
| location | The Wash Company, Westerpark Studio, NDSM Treehouse (Amsterdam) |
| agency | Ogilvy |
| creative.dir | Fede Botella, Diego Lauton (Xuxa) |
| agency.prod | Ryan Williams |
| client | Sennheiser |
Ruben van Leer
filmmaker & media-artist
