Magarditch Halvadjian
Magarditch Halvadjian is a Bulgarian TV and movie producer and director. He has been actively involved in directing since 1992, and is among the most recognized names in the history of the Bulgarian film industry.
Early life and education
Magarditch Halvadjian was born on 18 February 1967 in Pleven, Bulgaria. He is of Armenian descent. He graduated from the New Bulgarian University with a Masters degree in Directing and later taught “Directing and Production in TV Show-business” at the same university. He has been living in Varna, in various Italian cities, and in Moscow, where he studied in the Moscow Circus School from 1981-1986.Career
In 1996, he established “Max Group - 1”, which produced the TV shows “Crossing Point” and “Fatal Attraction”. During this period he shot most of his music videos. In 2002 he founded the production companies “Global Films” and “Global Frame”, “Open Frames”, lineal heir to “Global Group”.In 2012 Magarditch Halvadjian and his associates established the “Open Frames” company, focused on film production. In 2015 the company shot its first movie called “Nightworld”. The main role in the movie was played by the American actor Jason London and his partner was the world famous Robert Englund.
The next project for the company was the movie Havana Darkness - shot in the US and Cuba - that was the first time in history that a horror movie was shot in Cuba.
In the fall of 2016 “Open Frames” produced and shot Welcome to Acapulco. The shooting took place in Acaulco, Mexico and New York, US. The main cast included Michael Madison, William Baldwin and Paul Sorvino.
In the summer of 2017 he shot a short comedy - The Elephone Man, which he wrote and directed. The film was selected by several international film festivals in the US and Europe.
Magarditch Halvadjian was a chairman of the Movie and Television Producers Association from 2009 to 2012.
In 2014, he became co-founder and member of the Management board of the Film Committee Association of Bulgaria
A year later, in 2015 he was honored with the title “Academic” from the Bulgarian Academy of Science and Art.
In the end of 2016 Magarditch Halvadjian received a “Golden Century” badge of honour by the Ministry of Culture for his outstanding contribution to Bulgarian culture and the development of cultural cooperation.
He was awarded the “Best TV producer” by Darik radio’s “Man of the year”.
In the autumn of 2017, Magarditch Halvadjian produced a TV series “Suburban Cops”, by the original Spanish TV series “Los Hombres de Paco”. From 2019 he has been the producer of the Bulgarian version of the mystery music show "The Masked Singer" and the series "The Road of Honor" on Nova TV.
Personal beliefs and activism
Magarditch Halvadijan is an activist for the Society and Values Association. They promote conversion therapy and believe that the “transsexual movement is linked with pedophilia”. The association also promotes marriage as a union between a man and a woman, as well as promoting traditional family values. They also stand against surrogacy, euthanasia, alcohol, pornography, prostitution and marijuana.Filmography
Movies
- The Elephone Man – 2017, Short film
- * Executive Producer, Director and Writer
- * Genre: Comedy, shot in Bulgaria
- Welcome to Acapulco – 2016, Feature film
- * Executive Producer
- * Genre: Action/Comedy/Thriller, shot in Mexico
- Havana Darkness – 2016, Feature film
- * Executive Producer
- * Genre: Thriller, shot in Cuba and US
- Nightworld – 2015, Feature film
- * Producer
- * Genre: Horror/Thriller, shot in Bulgaria
- Project Bulgaria – 2005
- * Producer
- * Series of documentaries and commercials, promoting Bulgaria as an attractive tourist destination, created by order of Bulgarian Tourism Authority.
- The Winnings – 2000
- * Director and Script-writer
- * In 2000 the movie The Winnings was shot with the cooperation of Bulgarian National Television, Boyana Film EAD and Eurofootball. Written and directed by Megerdich Halvadjian
- :
- : The premiere of the movie was on Kanal 1 of the Bulgarian National Television in September 2001 and was widely acclaimed by the public and movie critics. The movie “The Winnings” was invited to take part at the prestigious international film festival in Saraevo in 2002 – “Saraevo Film Fest”.
- Farewell, Lilly - 2002
- * Directed by Valeri Milev, Producer - Magarditch Halvadjian
- *.
- Tingle – 1999
- * Director and Script-writer
- * Kodak prize at Golden Rose Film Festival, 2000
- Duel – 1996
- * Director and Producer - Megerdich Halvadjian
- * Director – Stefan Komandarev
- The Killer Ranger – 1995
- * Director, Producer and Script-writer
- * Second prize at the NBU Student Festival
- Madness – 1994
- * Director, Producer and Script-writer
- * First prize at the NBU Student Festival
TV Series
- The Road of Honor – 2019 – broadcast on NOVA TV
- * Producer
- Suburban Cops – 2018 – TV series under the original format “Los Hombres de Paco”, broadcast on the national NOVA TV
- * Producer and Director of several episodes
- Seven Hours Difference – 2011-2012-2013 – TV series, broadcast on the national TV channel bTV
- * Producer of the TV series and Director of the pilot
- Sea Salt – 2004 – broadcast on the national NOVA TV
- * Producer of the TV series and Director of the first episodes
TV Shows
- Like Two Drops of Water – broadcast on the national NOVA TV
- * Producer and Jury member in seasons 1 and Guest Jury in several episodes during other seasons
- The Masked Singer
- * Producer
- The X Factor – Bulgaria – broadcast on the national TV channel NOVA.
- * Producer & Member of the jury
- I Can See Your Voice – Bulgaria – broadcast on the national NOVA TV in fall of 2016, 8 episodes.
- * Producer
- I Can Do That – Bulgaria – broadcast on the national NOVA TV in 2015, 12 episodes.
- * Producer
- The Big Hopes – music show by Global Films, aired in March 2014 on the national NOVA TV, 12 episodes
- * Producer
- All Inclusive - comedy show by “Global Frame”, broadcast on the national NOVA TV in 2013, 10 episodes
- * Producer and Director
- Bulgaria’s Got Talent – on the national TV channel bTV
- * Producer and Jury member
- Complete Madness – comedy show by “Global Frame”, broadcast on the national NOVA TV /previously produced by “Global Vision” and broadcast on NOVA TV in 2009, from September 2009 until April 2012 has benn broadcast on bTV. And from September 2012 – 2013 again on NOVA TV/ - 3 seasons, about 120 episodes
- * Producer of the format and Director of the first episodes
- Psychic Challenge – Bulgaria and “Psychic Challenge” – Romania – broadcast on the national TV channel bTV and Romanian channel Kanal D
- * Executive Producer
- Fear Factor - Bulgaria – broadcast on the national NOVA TV in 2009
- * Executive Producer
- The Magnificent Six – broadcast in 2008, 2010 on the national TV channel bTV
- * Producer and Director
- Extreme Makeover - Bulgaria – broadcast on the national NOVA TV in 2007
- * Executive Producer
- Star Academy - Bulgaria – broadcast on the national NOVA TV in 2005
- * Executive Producer
- Power of Ten - Bulgaria – broadcast on the national NOVA TV in 2008
- * Producer
- Show Me the Money - Bulgaria – broadcast on TV channel TV7 in 2007
- * Producer
- Sea of Love – broadcast on the national TV channel bTV from 2003 to 2012
- * Producer
- Lords of the Air– comedy show by “Global Frame”, broadcast on the national NOVA TV /previously produced by “Global Vision” and broadcast on NOVA in 2003 - 2009, from September 2009 until April 2012 broadcast on bTV. And from September 2012 – until now again on NOVA/ - 13 seasons, daily show
- * Producer
- You Have Got Mail – broadcast on the national NOVA TV during 2005 -2008 and then again in 2012-2013
- * Producer
- Sweet Revenge – broadcast on the national TV channel bTV from 2005 ; Season 6 aired on NOVA in 2020, but terminated due to the emergency situation with COVID-19.
- * Producer and Director; Producer of Season 6
- Fatal Attraction – broadcast on TV channel MSAT in 2002
- * Producer and Director
- Crossing Point – broadcast on TV channel MSAT from 1999
- * Producer and Director
- Russian Roulette – broadcast on Bulgarian National Television in 2003
- * Co-Producer
Commercials
Music videos
He has shot more than 500 music videos for performers from all music styles among which are Slavi Trifonov, Antique, BTR, Signal, Kiril Marichkov, Azis, TE, Milena Slavova, Doni and Momchil, Irra, Akaga, Stoyan Mihalev, Irina Florin, etc.He has worked for Warner Music Italy as a director of the video of the group Kitchen Funk and for EMI and the German group 666.
In December 2006 Halvadjian shot a video also for the Hollywood star Hilary Duff. The video was broadcast on MTV and it is a part of the soundtrack of the movie Brand Hauser in which Hilary Duff is one of the famous names along with John Cusack, Ben Kingsley and Marisa Tomei.
In August 2008 he took part in the shooting of the new movie of Dolf Lundgren Command Performance. An important scene was given to him, in which during an impressive concert where the Russian President is also present, terrorist invade the place. Magy Halvadjian was chosen to shoot the three musical clips within the film based on his music video experience.