David Bek

David Bek is a Soviet historical drama and adventure film made at Armenfilm by the Armenian director Hamo Beknazarian. Shot in Russian and running about 93 minutes, it had its first screening in Moscow on February 14, 1944. It is adapted from the 1882 novel of the same name by Hakob Melik Hakobian, who wrote as Raffi.

The story recounts how, in the early eighteenth century, Armenian patriots under the celebrated commander David Bek fought to free their homeland from Persian conquerors. David Bek, the film's central figure, is presented as an Armenian nobleman and revolutionary. Hrachia Nersisyan, Avet Avetisyan and Hasmik play the leading roles, and the cast also includes David Malyan, Levon Zohrabyan, Vaghinak Marguni, Vladimir Ershov, Tatyana Makhmuryan and Ivan Perestiani.

Beknazarian wrote the screenplay together with Yakov Dukor and Saghatel Harutyunyan. Made during the Second World War, the film channels the patriotic spirit of its time through a historical hero.