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I'm Going to Change My Name

I'm Going to Change My Name

2012

Director

Mariya Saakyan

Runtime

96 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Based on the Armenian ‘Sharakan’, a nine-part song that brings us gradually closer to meaning, Maria Saakyan’s new film further develops the poetic invention apparent in her first feature, The Lighthouse. Focusing on the world of a 14-year-old girl, Evridika, who is experiencing the first extremes of adolescent emotion, it makes effective and imaginative use of her private world centred on internet chat rooms and mobile phone recordings.

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

6.4/10

Good


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film explores the private digital world of internet chat rooms. While these spaces often host identity exploration, there is no explicit confirmation of queer themes or character arcs.

Gender Representation

Good

The narrative centers on the agency and emotional complexity of a 14-year-old girl. It avoids traditional female passivity by making her subjective experience the primary cinematic driver.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

The film is rooted in Armenian heritage and utilizes traditional hymns. While the cast appears ethnically homogeneous, it provides a distinct non-Western framework.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The story uses the nine-part Sharakan musical structure to guide its progression. This integrates Armenian spirituality and non-Western metaphysical frameworks into the narrative architecture.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no mention of characters navigating physical, sensory, or neurodivergent disabilities within the provided narrative details.

Strengths

  • Strong cultural specificity through the use of Armenian Sharakan hymns.
  • Empowers a young female protagonist by centering her internal agency and emotional world.
  • Challenges Western storytelling norms with a non-linear, poetic narrative architecture.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit representation or confirmation of LGBTQ+ identities and themes.
  • Provides no visible engagement with disability or neurodivergent experiences.
  • The ethnically homogeneous cast limits broader racial and ethnic diversity.

AI Analysis

The film distinguishes itself by rejecting Western narrative pacing in favor of a spiritual, Armenian-centered structure. By using the Sharakan hymns as a foundation, it prioritizes a non-Western metaphysical perspective. While the film excels in cultural specificity and female agency, it lacks explicit evidence regarding LGBTQ+ themes or disability representation. The focus remains tightly on the protagonist's internal psychological landscape. Ultimately, the work functions as a specialized piece of cultural cinema that favors individual, subjective truth over conventional dramatic tropes.

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