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When September Comes

Name: When September Comes
Director: Edmond Keosayan
Released: 1975
Duration: 91 min

Representation Score

5.2/10

Fair

1975

Director

Edmond Keosayan

Runtime

91 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film succeeds as a character study that centers an ethnic minority and an elderly protagonist. By placing an Armenian man at the heart of a Moscow-set drama, it highlights the lived experience of the diaspora and the intersection of ethnic identity with urban life. However, the film operates within a traditional framework. The focus on patriarchal family structures and the absence of LGBTQ+ representation limits its broader social scope. While the protagonist's terminal illness is handled with ability to act, the gender dynamics remain conventional. Ultimately, the work is a humanistic drama that uses a personal journey to challenge the passivity often associated with the elderly or the ill.

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Category Breakdown

Does When September Comes have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or narratives. The story revolves around traditional familial bonds between a grandfather and his grandson.

How does When September Comes portray gender?

Fair

The narrative centers on a male protagonist within a traditional patriarchal family structure. There is little evidence of women having significant roles or challenging gender hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is When September Comes?

Good

The film provides strong ethnic representation by centering an Armenian protagonist in Moscow. It explores the experience of a minority navigating a dominant metropolitan center.

How does When September Comes represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story prioritizes humanistic connections and personal joy over state-centric narratives. It focuses on themes of mortality and the importance of familial duty.

Does When September Comes include disability representation?

Good

The protagonist is terminally ill but remains a proactive driver of the plot. His illness does not render him a passive figure in the story.

Present on Screen

Strong ethnic representation through an Armenian protagonist navigating a major metropolitan center.
Provides ability to act to a terminally ill character, making him the active driver of the narrative.
Focuses on humanistic, intergenerational connections rather than purely institutional or state-centric themes.

Limited or Absent

Lacks LGBTQ+ representation or narratives that challenge the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.
Follows a traditional patriarchal structure with limited evidence of women having significant roles.
Relies on conventional gender hierarchies common to mid-century dramatic frameworks.

Official Synopsis

Pensioner Levon Poghosyan flew to Moscow from Armenia to congratulate his grandson on his first day of school. And it doesn't matter at all that Levon is already at an advanced age and terminally ill. The main thing is to bring joy to loved ones and new acquaintances, of whom there are many in this big, noisy city...

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