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Anna Maxim Discusses Career and Weightlifting Film 'The Reverse Side of the Medal'

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Anna Maxim Discusses Career and Weightlifting Film 'The Reverse Side of the Medal'


The process of writing the script for “The Reverse Side of the Medal” and then filming and editing it took two years, which Maxim said was a very short time considering all that was involved, including covering four seasons, getting the right results from the actors, and filming on a level appropriate for Europe and the rest of the world.
At the February screenings of “The Reverse Side of the Medal” in Arlington, HCA leaders Naira Balagyozian and Raya Gevorgyan welcomed guests and moderated questions to the director from the audience after the presentation.
In the interview, she observed that so far the film has not yet been shown at big European or American film festivals. It is represented by her production company, called Maxim Production, but she said she wished to focus her energy on creating her next film, so she hoped that someone will be found who can be flexible in dealing with this matter. Maxim said that she came to the United States in part to prepare for this new film but is not yet ready to speak about it. After her US trip, she was going to Europe to participate in more screenings of “The Reverse Side of the Medal.”

Nevertheless, she said, “No matter how much you learn, no matter how impressed and inspired you may be, what is most important is that you realize what is in your heart — not try to copy someone else but be able to recognize and learn and then create something that is your own.”

Movie poster for “Aniko”

Her first film was called “Taraskhalnerov Karot” [Longing with Misspellings]. It was about a village teacher whose son was in the army. This teacher was so committed to the preservation of the Armenian language that whomever he encountered he would teach Armenian, just like his students, said Maxim. Even when his son wrote letters from the army, he corrected them with red ink and sent them back, not allowing the mother to read them. On the one hand his longing was suffocating. On the other hand, Maxim explained, when a man has principles, he must never betray them.
Hay Cultural Alliance host Naira Balagyozian (photo Aram Arkun)She said in response to an audience question that “The Reverse Side of the Medal” was in Armenia’s 2024 Oscars competition but the 46 members of the Armenian Film Academy chose a different film, which was 70 percent Russian and had little chance to win anything under international conditions then.
The main events of the film are factual, Maxim said, though the order of some were changed. The marriage scene, in which the weight was placed on the barbell just like a ring on the finger of the spouse did not take place in reality, she said, but was a directorial addition to strengthen the meaning of the film.
Maxim said that though there are some extra demands when the director is acting in a scene, it does have the advantage of concrete knowledge of what the director and script demand of you as an actor and may also save time during studio editing. Moreover, she stated: “When I had to undertake this film, I recalled Orson Well’s “The Citizen,” which for me is one of the best international films, where he served as chief actor, director, producer and screen writer. I thought that if it succeeded with him, it could succeed with me too and it seems that it did.”
She had to apply to the National Film Fund of Armenia to obtain financing and found out on January 28 that the application deadline was February 28. She said that she had only done interviews of Avdalyan and others involved in her life so far. She realized she said that in one month she would have to write the script. After listening to 72 hours of interviews, she told herself that she could not leave her room until she wrote it.
As a child, she enjoyed assembling everyone to portray circus acts and receive prizes. She made her own prizes out of whatever toys or statues there were in the house and instructed everyone to give her one. Her sister advised her to apply to the Yerevan State Institute of Theater and Cinematography and, Maxim said, she was only accepted with great difficulty, being practically the last one on the list.
Making ‘The Reverse Side of the Medal’
“Generally, when professionalism comes, the creator becomes less honest,” Maxim said. “As a result of professionalism, he may be able to create good films but that cannot be long lasting if there is not truly that sincerity. For that reason, if you have noticed, the latest films of successful directors are generally very weak because they are more about professionalism. I hope that my love may help me not to lose that.”
Before making “The Reverse Side of the Medal,” Maxim served as co-director of the film “The Armenian” [Hay haye] (2021) with Mikayel (“Michael”) Poghosyan, who also wrote the script and acted in that film.
She said that Armen Mazmanyan, her teacher at the Institute, forbade students to appear in television soap opera serials through the third year of the program, but afterwards she began to work in this arena. She worked ten years as an actress, appearing in a number of serials such as “Generali aghjiku” [The General’s Daughter] (2012-2013) and “Urishi Hogin” [Stranger’s Soul] (162 episodes, 2015-16) as well as in supporting roles in comedy films such as “Chikago Tsaghkdzor Tranzit” (2012) and “Siro gortsakits” (2015) and action films like “Chghjikner: Chezok goti” [Bats: Neutral Zone] (2012) before she stopped and instead went to Moscow in 2017 to learn directing at the S. A. Gerasimov All-Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK). She felt the institute in Russia was the most serious one in the region, she said, and she had no problem studying in Russian. Maxim noted that she has always loved Russian literature, and never mixes Russian politics with art.
The budget for the filming was not very large, so that Maxim said that a lot of equipment was lacking. She had to film the incident of an automobile accident in Moscow without having basic equipment as a result.
In the after-screening discussion with the audience, Maxim confessed that it was very hard for her as an actress to learn the dialect of Gyumri (Leninakan), as she was always inclined to speak in the Tavush dialect, but in the end she said the people from Leninakan were satisfied.
“‘Aniko,’” said Maxim, “is the story of my childhood, of how I liked literature. Generally, directors wait until the end of their lives to film about their childhood, but I decided to do the opposite.” The main topic of the film is Aniko’s summer vacation in Tavush, in the northeast of Armenia. Maxim’s grandparents grew up in Tavush and though she and her parents were born in Yerevan, and her mother’s side is from Goris in Syunik, Maxim said she considers herself a “Tavushtsi.”
She filmed several short films in this period. The first two were short films, while the third, “Aniko,” was some 50 minutes long and served as her diploma work in Moscow. Maxim said, “In general, if you look at the journey the artist has travelled, short or long, you understand that the person usually speaks about the same thing/topic in different stories.”
She did not act in her first three films. “I had even become cold concerning my specialty, but through this role [of Avdalyan], which returned life to me in the acting world,” she said with a laugh, “I understood that I had learned directing in order to film good films for me in which I can act.”
The second film was about a family whose child had died due to burns experienced during the Trndez festival. That couple could not return to their everyday lives until, as the result of defending the child of a neighbor, they decided to have a child again. That film, Maxim said, was about not losing hope for the continuation of life.
While in Armenian many protest that there is not enough money for making films, Maxim said that an even more important problem is a lack of specialists and experience, so that collaboration and exchange of experience with European or American companies and experts, including those Armenians living abroad, would be very helpful. That is something she would like to do on her next film, she said.
She also read an American book, How to Write a Movie in 21 Days, which evidently helped her succeed in meeting the deadline. Thinking about the stress, she said, “Now, when you remind me, I am just saying the words, but when I remember it, I just want to cry.”

Hay Cultural Alliance host Raya Gevorgyan, at left, takes questions for Anna Maxim from the audience (photo Aram Arkun)

As far as which filmmakers Maxim likes who may have influenced her, she declared that the films of the Soviet period, including Armenian films by Henrik Malyan or Frunze Dovlatyan, are impressive, but the heritage of world cinema, especially Italian Neorealism and French New Wave, is also important. She said, “I find myself more cosmopolitan in the sense of culture, in that for me a good film, good cinematographic art, does not have national boundaries with the exception of certain instances.”

She said she had to film “Aniko” with practically no budget and the assistance of friends, yet it won international prizes, beating out a number of large budget films. And she thinks she knows why: because it was a very honest film.

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Wisconsin volleyball vs Kentucky score today: Final Four live updates

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December 19, 2025

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10:35 pm CT

Wisconsin calls last timeout while in 11-7 deficit

John Steppe

Wisconsin has showed some more life lately, but the Badgers still are in a deep hole here. Kentucky has an 11-7 lead. The Wildcats are hitting .500 in the set while the Badgers are hitting .200.

10:31 pm CT

Kentucky goes on 7-1 scoring run as teams switch sides

John Steppe

Wisconsin is in quite the hole here, trailing 8-2 as the teams switch sides halfway through the fifth set. UK has five kills on five total attacks.

10:27 pm CT

Wisconsin falls into 4-1 deficit in fifth set

John Steppe

Kentucky has all the momentum here in the fifth set, jumping to a 4-1 lead with four straight points. Wisconsin has called a timeout. UW has a short runway for another resurgence like what it had in the fourth set against Texas.

10:22 pm CT

Wisconsin vs Kentucky stats comparison through four sets

John Steppe

  • Hitting percentage: Wisconsin .382, Kentucky .231
  • Kills: Wisconsin 67, Kentucky 54
  • Attack errors: Wisconsin 15, Kentucky 20
  • Service errors: Kentucky 8, Wisconsin 13
  • Blocks: Wisconsin 10, Kentucky 7



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Kentucky volleyball live score updates and highlights vs Wisconsin

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December 19, 2025

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Updated Dec. 18, 2025, 11:20 p.m. ET

The Kentucky Wildcats volleyball team is in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament after beating Creighton, and will face the Wisconsin Badgers tonight to move on to the championship match. Coach Craig Skinner’s squad is looking to win it all for the second time in school history.

Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson are the big hitters on the Wildcats roster, and are the last two SEC Players of the Year. They both have the ability to take over a match, and make life difficult for opposing defenses.

Lizzie Carr has also been terrific so far in this tournament run. She is a great defender, but can also use her 6’6″ frame to get kills from the middle. Kassie O’Brien is the one primarily setting up her teammates, and is one of the best freshmen in the country. Molly Tuozzo, meanwhile, is the heart of the team, and has had some huge digs in the postseason.



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Toledo Announces Signing of Three Transfers

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December 19, 2025

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TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo women’s volleyball head coach Brian Wright announced the signings of Maddy Bach, Janelle Green and Ava Siefke to the program as transfers on Thursday. All three will join the Rockets in the Spring 2026 semester.

Bach comes to Toledo following a year at Memphis, Green heads to the Glass City from Cincinnati, while Siefke joins the Rockets after spending the past three seasons at Eastern Michigan.

“I’m extremely excited to add these amazing young women to our program,” said Wright. “Each are extremely competitive and highly talented players that will be ready to work hard and be great learners starting in January. Each of them instantly connected with our current team on their visits and fully believe in the program’s goals of striving for championships while giving their best to a team, university and city that supports women’s sports. I am excited for this city to get to know each of them. I’m confident if you get to know them, you will want to support them.”

The following is a look at the three transfer student-athletes:

Maddy Bach | Sophomore | 5-9 | Setter | Chesterfield, Mo. | Parkway West HS | Memphis

Bach appeared in all 31 matches throughout her freshman season at Memphis, totaling 681 assists and dishing out 6.61 assists/set. Bach set a career best with 58 assists against Chattanooga and totaled 164 total digs on the season. In high school, Bach was named a 2024 AVCA All-American Honorable Mention and ACVA All-Region honoree, helped Parkway West to an NSHSAA Class 4 District 2 Championship in 2023 and set the school record for career assists with 2,939. She also won the 2022 GJNC National Championship with USA Volleyball and took second in the 2025 Florida Fest USAV National Qualifier.

Brian Wright on Bach: “Maddy is an extremely hard working and high achieving student-athlete. Her experience setting this past season plus her willingness to train hard this spring makes her future as a Rocket very exciting. I am looking forward to having her in Toledo and seeing her get straight to work with the rest of the team in January.”

Bach on Toledo: “I chose the University of Toledo because as soon as I went on campus it felt like home. I was impressed by the passion of the coaches and players. I love the great culture and strong support from the Toledo community. I am very excited to be part of such a special program.”

Janelle Green | Redshirt Sophomore | 5-10 | Setter | Leawood, Kan. | Blue Valley North HS | Cincinnati

Green saw action in 15 sets across eight matches throughout her time at Cincinnati, totaling 44 assists and 12 digs. Green fired off 12 assists in a win over Texas Tech (11/14/25) and two service aces against Wake Forest (8/29/25). While at Blue Valley North HS, Green was named a 2023 AVCA All-American Honorable Mention and was a three-time All-State Tournament Team and All-Conference First Team selection. She was the No. 1 ranked setter out of Kansas and No. 11 nationally ranked by Prep Dig. Bach won the 2021 6A State Championship and was named a Prep Volleyball 2024 18U Club All-American.

Brian Wright on Green: “Janelle has both a highly competitive drive and desire to connect with others. Her upbringing and determination to be great at everything she does mixed with her ability to build strong connections with her teammates puts her in a spot to have major growth in the gym this spring and also make a big impact on the growth of those around her. I am so excited to get her in the gym and have her get started with the rest of this group in January.”

Green on Toledo: “I chose Toledo because my goals and visions aligned with those of the coaches and the program. The girls on the team were very welcoming, and I felt like it was the perfect fit for me. It’s exciting to see how the city rallies around volleyball, and I can’t wait to see how much more it grows over the next few years. This is a special place, and I am excited to be a part of it!”

Ava Siefke | Senior | 6-1 | Outside Hitter | Cincinnati, Ohio | Saint Ursula Academy | Eastern Michigan

Siefke has appeared in 324 sets across 91 matches at Eastern Michigan, totaling 774 kills, 715 digs, 129 total blocks and 79 service aces. The Cincinnati, Ohio native led the Eagles on offense during the 2025 season and ranked third in the MAC, averaging 3.28 kills/set. Siefke tallied 23 matches with double-figure kills and set a career high with 22 terminations against Bowling Green (10/3/25). She chipped in 2.65 digs/set and led the team with 35 service aces (0.29 aces/set). During her time at Saint Ursula Academy, she was a Girls Greater Catholic League (GGCL) Second Team honoree and earned all-district third team accolades. She was also the runner-up in the 17-American at USA Nationals in 2021.

Brian Wright on Siefke: “From the moment I met Ava, I knew she fit with everything we stand for on and off the court. On the volleyball side, having played the past 3 seasons in the MAC, she brings the experience and leadership of what it takes every single day to be great. Her growth from each season to the next shows that she is a great learner. We are excited to help her continue that growth and have the best possible end to her career.”

Siefke on Toledo: “I really like the culture and how Coach Brian was talking about the program. He has big plans for the program and wants to see his team succeed at the highest level possible. People in Toledo really care about women’s sports and that is something super special about the university.”

 



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Kentucky volleyball vs. Wisconsin live updates: Score, highlights

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December 19, 2025

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Updated Dec. 18, 2025, 10:47 p.m. ET



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KWHS senior Emma Hager signs to Black Hills State for volleyball, track and field

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December 19, 2025

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CASPER, Wyo. –– Emma Hager is not a fan of public speaking. The Kelly Walsh High School senior held a ceremony on Wednesday to announce her signing with Black Hills State University, where she will compete in both volleyball and track and field. After signing her ceremonial letter of commitment, Hager took questions from media, and she laughed nervously throughout the entire Q&A session.

Luckily, she was not alone. The room at KW was full of friends, family and fellow athletes — all of whom gathered to show their support for her.

Nick Perkins, Oil City News

When asked what it meant to her to see such a large crowd, all gathered to support her, she said that “It’s great. It’s kind of scary, but it’s great.” The crowd laughed with her as she spoke about her decision to sign with Black Hills State, what she was most looking forward to in the coming years, and more.

Hager, a 6-foot-0 athlete who will graduate in 2026, is planning to major in Exercise Science at BHS, with the goal of eventually going to graduate school and becoming a physical therapist.

She stated that she was just “looking for something new” with her college decision, which is exactly what she will get at Black Hills State.

She said that it was the coaches at Black Hills State that first drew her interest, and she’s looking forward to being a part of the team as a freshman. She said she met a few of the team’s current players and she felt a good kind of chemistry with them.

Hager, who was there with her entire family, said another big reason why she chose Black Hills State was because it was still within driving distance of her home.

Nick Perkins, Oil City News

She also spoke about being a dual-athlete at BSU, noting that volleyball was her first love but that she’s just as enthralled with track and field.

“I’ve always loved volleyball,” she said, “ever since I first started playing. And track — I didn’t want to like, give it up after only doing it for a year. I wanted to keep doing both of those.”

So she will. Hager competes in long jump and said that her longest jump was 5 feet, 5 inches. Though track and field is her new passion, volleyball will always hold a special place in her heart. She said that she started playing volleyball in fourth grade and acknowledged that it will always remain her first love.

Hager said her teammates are her favorite part of playing volleyball.

“I really enjoyed playing with them this year,” she said. “I feel like I was able to build some really good relationships with them. I was able to build much closer relationships with the girls on my team than I have in any of the other years. So that was really awesome.”

Many of those friends were at her signing, an, after she signed the letter of commitment, a handful of friends and family members gathered to take pictures with the star athlete.

Hager answered a few more questions, smiling and giggling the whole time. When she was asked what message, if any, she would give to all of her supporters, she took a minute to think and then “phoned a friend.”

Nick Perkins, Oil City News

“Abby,” she pleaded with one of her nearby friends. “If I could tell everyone one thing, what would it be?”

“What would you tell us?” Abby responded.

“Yeehaw,” Hager said with a smile. “I love you all.”

Photos from the signing ceremony can be seen below:

Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News
Nick Perkins, Oil City News



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No. 3 Volleyball Earns Spot in National Title Match with Sweep of No. 1 Pitt – Texas A&M Athletics

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December 19, 2025

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The most successful season in Texas A&M volleyball history continues following the No. 3-seed Aggies’ sweep of No. 1-seed Pitt, 3-0 (29-27, 25-21, 25-20), in Thursday’s NCAA Championship semifinal match inside the T-Mobile Center.
The Aggies became just the third No. 3 seed in NCAA Tournament history to dispatch of two No. 1 seeds joining UCLA in 2011 and Nebraska in 2021.

A&M will face either Wisconsin or Kentucky in Sunday’s national championship match (2:30 p.m., ABC).

More to come.




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