Written and directed by Sergei Parajanov, The Color of Pomegranates (1969) is a visual homage to the 18th-century Armenian poet, Sayat-Nova. Inspired by its beauty and poetry, and in honor of the Lunar New Year, a candlelit evening centered around this film was presented by Sommer, Pallas, and Monastery Made. 

In addition to a screening of The Color of Pomegranates, a written note to each guest described the beauty of the film — "Dreamlike, the film’s iconographic tableaux recount the life of the poet from within his poetic imagination, drawing on Armenian lineages of illuminated manuscripts & miniature painting. Set among ruins — both Saya-Nova and Parajanov lived through major cultural and political invasions — the film invokes Sayat-Nova’s imagery of angels, silks, brocades, daggers, fruit, sackcloths, and ashes that were to him symbols of love. Symbols drawn from the intricate rituals & traditions of the arts that weave this film’s tapestry of folklore and metaphor."

The pomegranate, or nur, in Armenian, is an ancient symbol of fertility and abundance. Winter-fruiting, the pomegranate also symbolizes death and the cycles of life. Inspired by The Color of Pomegranates and its namesake ingredient, Isabelle Le of Stargarten Studio adorned a central table with a decadent feast for guests — including dishes inspired by the pomegranate, as well as other flavors of Armenian cuisine. Wine, apéritifs, and a pomegranate infused refreshment by Aplós were also served. 

At the close of the evening, guests were invited to light an altar candle to set an intention for the new year. A celebration inspired by the film's symbolic gestures that mirror our own — Sommer that of adornment and art; Monastery of the sensorial rituals of plants and oils; and Pallas that of books & poetry — it was a collaboration rooted in the spirit of community, small pleasures, and new beginnings.