Film screening: Searching for Satyrus And Q&A with Rena Effendi and Professor Rick Fawn

St Andrews staff and students are being given a unique opportunity to attend a special screening of Searching for Satyrus, the first major film on the conflict between the neighbouring nations of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Set in the mountainous borderlands between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the story follows Rena Effendi, a photographer and filmmaker in pursuit of Satyrus effendi, a rare and critically endangered butterfly named in honour of her father, an enigmatic Soviet entomologist who was absent from her life.

Satyrus died in 1991, when Rena was just 14, amid war and the collapse of the USSR. Rena retraces his old butterfly-hunting routes through what is now a devastated landscape, deep into a remote Caucasus exclave isolated by decades of conflict. The butterfly is known to appear there only once a year, fluttering high over militarised border that people are forbidden to cross. On this journey of discovery, Rena comes closer to her father, confronting the distance between them and coming to terms with his troubled legacy.

Professor Rick Fawn, of the School of International Relations, has been instrumental in bringing the film to St Andrews.

Some of Rick's research has focused on the conflicts among Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia with Russia, and involved real-world engagement with leaders including Heads of State, foreign ministries and international institutions dealing with complex geopolitical issues that affect millions of people.

He said: “I'm grateful that my connections in the Caucasus and the help of the London-based NGO Conciliation Resources have enabled this stunning documentary to be shared with a St Andrews audience.”

Commenting on current world events and his involvement in ground-breaking work to bring warring parties together, he added: “The Armenia-Azerbaijan agreement of August 2025, signed in the White House, is the only one of US President Trump's eight ‘peaces' that is actually holding.”

The screening will be the first time the film has been shown in Scotland and will be followed by a Q&A with Rena Effendi, who also directed it, and Professor Rick Fawn.

Tickets are free but should be booked in advance: book tickets. The coupon code for students and staff to obtain free entry is ‘undergroundslate'.