Nora Armani
Actress
Was born in Egypt of Armenian & Italian parents .
She studied in England, lived in France, Italy and the USA.
Currently divides her time between London and Paris .
Has appeared in numerous theatrical productions and films
internationally acting in several languages.
And has won high critical acclaim and many awards for her performances.
Recently she won the "Best Actress" award at the Siunik Film Festival (Armenia) for her role in M. Dovlatian feature film Labyrinth.
The PRESS about NORA ARMANI:
“…absolutely superb, exquisite and virtuoso performance..”. Drama-Logue – Los Angeles
“… the deft, bedazzling Armani creates textured characters and substantial momentum.” Los Angeles Times
“…brilliantly performed by…Nora Armani, one is reminded that magic can still exist on the stage.” Herald Examiner – Los Angeles
“…knows how to blend her gorgeous voice and expertly trained body to create theatrical magic..”. LA Weekly – Pick of the Week
“…gifted actor…” The Boston Globe
“…performance which stirs the imagination..” Pasadena Weekly
“…Moving… a long applause...” Le Monde
NORA ARMANI about herself and other things:
“My first passion is to act, everything else was a necessity.”
“What I'd like to be able to do on certain projects is to act and direct. But on any given day, I would take up acting as a priority.”
“My most difficult choice has been making a choice.”
“I owe the fact that I'm in cinema today to Emir Kusturica, the Yugoslav filmmaker. When I saw Time of the Gypsies , I was so inspired, I wanted to make my own Time of the Gypsies … I'm still working at it.”
“I like Aki Kaurismaaki, Lars von Trier, Atom Egoyan, Nikita Mikhalkov, all for different reasons. Paradjanov has a very special place for me, but I don't aspire to him. As he has in the film The Colour of Pomegranates ‘don't try to imitate me because then you're lost'!”
“We have to go away… in order to come back.”
“When does one become the other? “Diasporan” – it's like a new species!”
PEOPLE on NORA ARMANI:
“…I watched you
emote and gush,
acting poems
emoting the homology
of poems
gushing I…
watched you
warm the room
watched you move
walk right through
my mind
I couldn't describe
what had drained me so…”
Excerpt from The Armani Excursion by Marc D. Gavoor – US poet
NORA ARMANI
Plays Shakespeare, Shaw, Hammerstein, Moliere, Tchekov, Guitry, Labiche, Fatima Gallaire, Tewfik al Hakim, and toured with SOJOURN AT ARARAT internationally in over 20 cities on four continents in its English and French versions (Le Chant D'Ararat), together with her stage partner Gerald Papasian.
Nora Armani has interpreted lead roles in American, French, Czech, Armenian, Lebanese and Egyptian films on screen and on television.
Between March 1991 and December 1993, she represented the Ministry of Culture of Armenia in the Cinema division, for the promotion of Armenian cinema world wide.
As producer and filmmaker, Nora Armani co-produced HAIFA, a feature film by Rashid Masharawi (Curfew), and LAST STATION that she also co-directed. Both films were seen in major International Film Festivals, such as Cannes ( Offical Selection ), Montreal, Rotterdam, and at the 19th Cairo International Film Festival.
Recently Nora Armani was invited to Cairo to play the lead in the musical The King and I opposite Egyptian stage and TV star Mohamed Sobhi. The play was performed at the newly reconstructed Radio Theatre in downtown Cairo, and was seen on Egyptian TV and Arab Satellite TV.
Ms. Armani was invited to appear as guest of honour on Egyptian TV's Channel 2, in a program commemorating the centenary of Egyptian prolific writer Tewfik al Hakim's birth.
Nora Armani is the winner of many awards and is an Honorary Member of the National Theatre of Armenia since 1992. She holds an M.Sc. Econ. degree from the London School of Economics (University of London) and a B.A in Sociology and Theatre (Acting and Directing) from the American University Cairo and UCLA (Los Angeles). She is mentioned in WHO'S WHO Among Armenians in America.
Contact
Ms. Irma Tyler, 2 Ravenscourt Park, London W6 OTH, (020) 8563-0220 or (0403) 456-496