With her passing, our nation has lost a unique young and creative talent in the world of documentary films, who was working tirelessly on documenting our people’s history and civilization.

Mr. Gebrail Mushe Kourie, Assyrian Democratic Organization Political Bureau President, said in a comment on Facebook, “Lina Yakubova, Oh beautiful Assyrian who bore the pains of her people. She came from Armenia carrying her camera, talent, and love for her people. She sailed her ship in the region of her ancestors, from the east in Urmia to Tur Abdin, Hakkari, Qamishly, and Khabour.  She created her eternal epic, through documentary films filled with pain and sorrow, to chronicle the suffering and tragedies of our people in the homeland and Disapora, where she traced our people’s deep roots in history and civilization. Oh magnificent Assyrian, we shall never forget your visit to Qamishly, and your many journeys to every place where Assyrians reside. We will never forget you. Your spirit will always communicate with us, urging us to always work tirelessly for our people.”

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Lina Yakubova (1975-2011), was born in the Assyrian village of Dmitrovo (Qoyalasar) in the family of Albert Yakubov and Karina Khachaturyan, both teachers.  She also has two siblings, Edwar and Karin.

Lina finished secondary school with honors as well as a seven-year music school in 1992.  After graduation, she worked at the same school as the manager of the local youth group.

Her first experience in TV and Radio was at the Central Radio of Armenia where she worked as the presenter of programs about the ethnic groups of Armenia, specifically Assyrians.

During her studies at Erevan Institute of Theatre and Cinema, she worked in television, translating foreign news and writing scripts for different programs.  She also became interested in documentary film making. Her first film and script, ‘The Cross made from Lebanon’s Cedar,’ turned out to be very successful, which made her decided to devote her career to historical documentary films.

As she tells us on her website: “The success in our careers and work is impossible without the help from friends or people that are interested in what we do. I was fortunate to have a lot of friends that have been helping me in my work.”

Her film "Assyrians in Armenia" was made by a creative team of volunteers.  However, the Assyrian Association of Armenia, Atour, under the leadership of Arsen Mikhailov helped in creating this documentary, which paved the way for all the films and projects that Lina continued to work on in the future.  The Assyrian Academic Society (USA) helped sponsor the production of the DVD and the screening of the film in the United States.

The following is a list of Lina’s latest films.

Paths of Fate
Historical documentary

In the period between 1914-1918, the Assyrian nation was on the verge of extinction. A number of diseased refugees, suffering from hunger, lost their homes, families, and homeland. They scattered throughout the East and West.

Many refugees found shelter in Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Some of them joined their compatriots in Tbilisi, another part was afforded shelter in cities and villages of Georgia. Thousands of Assyrian refugees from Hakkiary region of southeast Turkey headed for various cities of Russia, Europe and America, by way of Tiflis.

Produced & written by Lina Yakubova
Directed by Artak Avdalyan
Original music by Vahan Artsruni
Director of Photography: Karen Stepanyan
Sponsored by the Assyrian Universal Alliance Foundation (Chicago IL)

Assyrian Way
Historical documentary

Part I: To Survive Through…
Part II: Revival
Part III: To itemize the portrait "If Aysors lived in the Volga and suffered from hunger, they would have left that place and reached India. Because Aysors are a great nation" — Shklovski

The Assyrians, uprooted from their historic home, took shelter in the territory of Russia. There they built their new life and shared all the misfortunes of the local people, and more. Today, at the dawn of the 21st century, after two world wars, the socialist revolution and the collapse of the Soviet Union, there is a large Assyrian Community living in the different cities and regions of this large country.

Produced & written by Lina Yakubova
Directed by Artak Avdalyan
Original music by Vahan Artsruni
Director of Photography: Karen Stepanyan
Sponsored by the Assyrian Universal Alliance Foundation (Chicago IL)

The present collection of liturgical chants and hymns of the Assyrian Church of the East is of interest not only to the modern enthusiast of ecclesiastical musicology but also to the laymen as well. It is an introduction to the liturgical style of chants and ecclesiastical rites of one of the most ancient and venerable Churches of Christendom–the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East.

The most ancient Eucharistic anaphora still in use today by Christendom, the anaphora of the Blessed Apostles of Mar Addai and Mar Mari, is the primary Eucharistic prayer of the Assyrian Church of the East.

The collection consists of 3 CDs and a booklet.

The first CD is a collection of liturgical chants of the Assyrian Church of the East and hymns sung a capella. The second CD, "Sacred Episodes," consists of selections from the Divine Liturgy taken from the Mar Addai and Mar Mari, presented with musical accompaniment by Vahan Artsruni. The third CD, "Sacred Rituals," consists of episodes from several rites and also includes musical accompaniment by Vahan Artsruni.

The Booklet includes a blessing by Mar Dinkha IV, the Patriarch Catholicos of the Church of the East, a historical introduction by Bishop Mar Awa, a brief written by the composer, Vahan Artsruni, and a letter from the sponsor, Assyrian Universal Alliance Foundation.

Documentary recording of Father (Qasha Daryavush) Azizian and deacon (Shamasha) Charles Catholic.

Produced by Lina Yakubova
Sponsored by Assyrian Universal Alliance Foundation (Chicago, USA)

Information Source: LinaYakubova.com and Assyrian International News Agency