Svetlana Gulyanova
Svetlana Gulyanova 
| |
|---|---|
| Birthplace | Tbilisi |
| Birth date | 1938 |
| Lived in | Tbilisi, Yerevan |
| Death year | 2025 |
| Ethnicities | Armenian |
| Dialects | Eastern Armenian |
| Spouses | Nikolay Hovhannisyan |
Early Life & Education
Svetlana Gulyanova was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, and moved with her family to Yerevan, Armenia, in 1948. She graduated from Yerevan’s Russian School and pursued higher education at Yerevan State University, where she studied Russian Philology. Her passion for film and media led her to Moscow, where she attended the prestigious Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK), earning her master’s degree in film editing in 1971. She later continued her studies at the same university, pursuing a PhD in cinematography.
Career in Film & Media
Sveta began her career as a film editor at Yerevan State TV Studio, working from 1965 to 1974. She played a crucial role in shaping the visual storytelling of Armenian television during the Soviet era. Beyond editing, she became a prominent film critic, writing extensively about Armenian and Soviet cinema. Her articles were published in renowned journals such as Urartu, Communist, New Time, Armenia’s Voice, and Film Weekly. Her work gained international recognition, with her writings appearing in Poland, Germany, and other countries.
One of her most significant contributions was her research on Ruben Mamoulian, the Armenian-born Hollywood director. She spent years documenting his legacy, culminating in The Sign of Mamoulian, a work dedicated to his life and contributions to global cinema.
Academic & Research Contributions
After leaving Yerevan State TV, Sveta transitioned into academia. Since 1976, she worked as a senior scientific researcher at the Academy of Sciences Institute of Arts, specializing in Armenian diaspora and international relations. She also became a lecturer, teaching in Russia, Ukraine, and Armenia throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Her deep knowledge of Armenian history and culture led her to organize major academic events, including the 50th anniversary of the Academy of Sciences' Department of Diaspora Studies.
Marriage to Nikolay Hovhannisyan
Sveta was married to Nikolay Hovhannisyan, a distinguished historian and academic who dedicated his life to Armenian historical research and education. Nikolay was the director of the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Academy of Sciences, where he specialized in Armenian-Arabic relations and Middle Eastern studies. He was a leading scholar on the Armenian Genocide and played a key role in establishing modern Armenian-Arabic studies as a recognized academic discipline. Through his work, he sought to shed light on the historical ties between Armenia and the Arab world, emphasizing the importance of Armenian heritage in the broader context of global history.
Together, Sveta and Nikolay were an intellectual powerhouse—she in cinema and cultural studies, and he in history and international relations. Their contributions to Armenian academia remain invaluable, influencing generations of scholars, researchers, and students.
Personal Life & Legacy
Beyond academia and film, Sveta was known for her deep love of animals. She once flew her beloved cat to Moscow for medical treatment, a testament to her kindness and devotion. Tragically, the cat did not survive, and she never owned another pet again.
Sveta’s work continues to be cited in books and scholarly articles. She was a pioneering woman in Armenian cinema studies, a devoted historian, and a passionate advocate for Armenian cultural preservation. Her legacy lives on through her writings, teachings, and the many students and researchers she influenced.