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.
“In an ancient Armenian kingdom, Prince Areg undertakes a perilous journey to find the mythical Bird, whose enchanted song is believed to restore harmony and renew the spirit of his father’s grief-stricken realm.”
a path of no return
Set in an ancient Armenian kingdom, The Quest Begins follows a young prince who sets out to find the mythical Nightingale of a Thousand Voices: a creature whose song can restore harmony to a world marked by loss. What begins as a royal mission unfolds into a personal passage through grief, doubt and transformation.
Driven by Tigran Hamasyan’s intense jazz-prog composition, the film merges music, landscape and myth into a cinematic journey where sound and image evolve as one. Shot entirely in black and white, the work grounds an ancient folktale in a stark, timeless visual language, moving between epic scale and symbolic detail.
Filmed on location in Armenia with a predominantly local cast and crew, including lead performer Samvel Tadevossian, the production is deeply embedded in the cultural landscape from which the story originates. Through the support of the Armenian Ministry of Culture, historical sites such as the 10th-century Amberd Fortress were made accessible, allowing the myth to be reimagined within its own geographical and historical context. The fortress itself was digitally extended through CGI into a fully realised cinematic space, from which the folktale unfolds.
As the first cinematic chapter and music release, the film serves as an entry point teaser into a larger narrative that will expand into a longer film, where past and future timelines intersect. Across film, performance and interactive media, the project unfolds as a living mythology; an ancient story rearticulated through transdisciplinary forms.
“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
| Directed by | Ruben Van Leer |
| Music by | Tigran Hamasyan |
| Written by | Philip M. Howe Ruben Van Leer |
| Original Story | Hazaran Blbul by Serine |
| Cinematography | Ezra Reverda |
| Cast | |
| Areg | Samvel Tadevosyan |
| Old Woman | Marine Petrosyan |
| The King | Grigor Gabrielyan |
| King’s Messenger | Tigran Hamasyan |
| Manush | Christina Danielyan |
| Zaman | Aram Kharakhanyan |
| Child | Mark Harutyunyan |
| Maid | Lilit Salnazaryan |
| Art Department | |
| Production Designer | Arthur Barseghian |
| Art Directors | Arshaluys Galoyan Gor Galoyan Armen Ghumashyan |
| Prop Master | Leno Madoyan |
| Costume Designer | Varduhi Torozyan |
| Styling Assistant | Yasaman Sadian |
| Jewelry | Lusik Aguleci Museum Astghik Samvelyan |
| Makeup & Hair | Diana Aghajanyan Adane Aghajanyan Susanna Dadayan |
| Sound Department | |
| Sound Recordist | Arsen Hakobyan |
| Sound Mixing | Alexander Nezhinskiy – Evolsound |
| Animal Trainers | |
| Horse Trainer | Mikayel Siravyan |
| Bird Trainers | Manuk Manukyan Karen Aghababyan |
| Camera & Technical Crew | |
| 1st Assistant Director | Tigran Spertsyan |
| Technical Manager | Vahe Babayans |
| 1st AC | Gev Gharayan |
| 2nd AC | Kevork Tutunjian |
| Ronin Assistant | Hovhannes Khachatryan |
| Drone Operator | Kim Hoogervoorst |
| 2nd Drone Operator | Karen Galstyan |
| Crane Operator | Ara Hovhannisyan |
| Crane Assistant | Tigran Hovhannisyan |
| DIT | Armen Baghinyan |
| Gaffer | Vardan Brutyan |
| Best Boys | Albert Eghoyan Arman Eghoyan Martin Galoyan David Safaryan |
| Casting & Coordination | |
| Casting Manager | Stella Harutyunyan |
| Extras Coordinator | Tatev Galstyan |
| Safety | Mher Markarian |
| Runners | George Muradyan Davit Kharakhanyan Gor Poghosyan |
| Drivers | Garnik Arzanyan Artur Mayilyan Karen Telunts |
| Technical Support Armenia | |
| Equipment | Kino Tech Rental Kiwi Aerial Shots Antarut Hills |
| Filming Locations | Hay Film Studio Aragats Scientific Center Amberd Fortress Angels Canyon |
| Post-Production | |
| Editing | Amber Hooijmans Ruben Van Leer |
| Additional Editing | Florian Millot – Libelo |
| VFX | Vincent Van Der Klaauw Kirill Kurchenko Nithin Babu Kamil Kubanychbek Akshay S. R. Patrick Mere Ruben Van Leer |
| Colorist | Amy Besate |
| Grading Facilities | Ambassadors |
| Production | |
| Produced by | Truth.io Libelo Productions |
| Producers | Ruben Van Leer Valentine Wurtz |
| Executive Producer | Michael Dishunts |
| Executive Production Armenia | 16mm Film Production |
| Production Administrator | Roman Yegoryan |
| Production Coordinator | Nune Apresyan |
| Music & Support | |
| Music Label | Naïve – a Label of Believe Group |
| Supported by | Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC) |
| Sponsored by | DEMOBAZA Ltd. Aō-Air |
filmmaker & media-artist
