Arsen ARZUMANYAN

Academic Year:
2025/2026

Field of Study:
Armenology

Research Program:
Tandem – Author with Translator – Translator with Author
(Translator, in association with Lavinia BRANIȘTE, Author)

Affiliation:
The Union of Armenians in Romania
“Ararat” magazine

Position:
Researcher, Translator, Editor

Country:
Armenia

Research project: Translating Lavinia Braniște’s novel "Interior zero" from Romanian into Armenian

“Interior Zero” by Lavinia Braniște offers a raw and authentic portrayal of young women navigating the complexities of modern urban life, capturing their internal and external struggles without embellishment. Cristina is 30 and works in a toxic environment in a construction company, with an impulsive boss and colleagues with whom she has nothing in common, except that one of them is the owner of the apartment where she lives. She has a long-distance boyfriend, Mihai, whom she rarely sees. The big decisions that she is unable to make on her own are made for her by others: she will break away from her professional environment when the company goes bankrupt and the relationship with Mihai ends abruptly after an accidental pregnancy. This novel, published by Polirom in 2016, was translated into German, Spanish and Polish, and adapted for stage both in Romania and Germany. The film by Eugen Jebeleanu based on the book will be released this year. Translating this novel into Armenian would provide readers access to a narrative that resonates universally, yet is deeply rooted in Romanian society. Challenges may include conveying cultural nuances and the author’s distinctive style.