Movie premiere of Newmag’s “Stand Up” documentary at Moscow Cinema (photos, video in Armenian)

No one believed that he would live with those injuries, go through a coma and walk on two legs again. The film is about the story of a military officer who overcame death, lost both legs and one arm, but never gave up. It is a story about strong willpower. Sargis Stepanyan stood up with an iron will, leaving behind the difficulties and endless challenges. “The most horrible thing was my half-appearance. I was a tall soldier with strong muscles. Now, I was paralyzed in just one half of the bed. That moment was even more horrible and incomprehensible than the physical pain. I tried to find ways out in order to not lose my mind.”

   

  

 

The movie is about getting back the lost hope. With each signature Sargis thanks those, who themselves tell words of gratitude to him. Additionally, Sargis reminds them to stand up and never give up. “​​Life goes on, we must stand up. We must become stronger. There were difficult days, but now we must be united. The Armenian nation is invincible, everyone in this nation is strong enough to overcome difficulties.”

 

He stood up, returned to service and even the battlefield, became a world champion and a supporter for those soldiers, who lost their hope for the future. Sargis is a vivid example for the soldiers with disabilities. Vahe Ghazaryan. “Even if Sargis does not do anything, you can learn from him just by watching him. However, he always finds time to support us.”

 

Sargis Harutyunyan. “His attitude toward us is simply indescribable. Everything in him motivates us.”

Hayk Stepanyan. “We had the willpower inside us, but he kind of awakened it. In fact, thanks to him we can walk today, travel to Europe, and take part in sport championships.”

Suren Martirosyan. “After the war I met Sargis and he helped me to walk again. He motivates me, gives me advice on both personal and professional matters.”

Sargis Stepanyan started walking 3 months after losing his two legs and the right arm in 2014, and 3 years later became a World Champion. By his own experience he proves that everything is possible if you want to make a change. An expert on Azerbaijan Angela Elibegova believes that this movie is a huge source of motivation for the soldiers who went through the horrors of war.

 

“Sargis and people like him are role models. This kind of people should set an example on what an Armenian person, an Armenian man, should be like.”

One by one he visited hospitals, houses, persuaded the wounded soldiers, called them. The screenwriter of the film, military journalist Davit Davtyan, believed that this was the most profound way after the 44-day war to help the Armenian soldiers and army who went through the hell of the war. “This story is a wakeup call. This is what our soldiers and army need today. Not only did he recover but he also saved his friends. He is not simply happy with his own success, instead, Sargis continuously helps others.”

 

Just like in the movie, Sargis's father is emotional after the movie as well. He found it difficult to picture how a single movie could capture and present everything about his son. “There is no one like him. There is no other Saqo. He is a superman. He is not only my son, he’s everyone’s son.”

 

Former Minister of Defense - Sargis Stepanyan's father's military friend and the person who awarded Sargis with military awards, believes that Sargis is a vivid example on how the Armenian Army should be reborn. Seyran Ohanyan has been psychologically supporting Sargis since 2014. “I knew his father. He was in Komandos’s team. Injuries are for men, one can be physically disabled, but when a person is mentally disabled, that’s already unacceptable.”

Screening of the film ends with applause, the audience leaves the hall in emotions, but faithful. The hero of our days stands up with his iron will and orders the other disabled soldiers and all of us, to stand up.