My aim was to present the toastmaking tradition as a unique oratorical art form, as well as a folk tradition that is passed from generation to generation. Tied into the Caucasian culture of hospitality, toastmaking is connected to rituals surrounding eating and drinking around a table. In its highest form, it is pure improvisation. Its masters adeptly weave elements of politics, history, storytelling, joketelling, philosophy and poetry into eloquent, heartfelt and individualistic expressions that create a powerful intimacy among those seated around the table. At the very least, the toast is an act of goodwill between host and guest; it is an opportunity to express well wishes, gratitude, and personal beliefs.

In the end, the video also functions as a document of how native Armenians reacted to me, an American-Armenian. Many of the toasts were directed towards the Armenian Diaspora, though I clearly asked people to address the entire world. All the toasts, in some way, also referred to the post-Soviet context, with its preponderance of social and economic problems, and the longing for a better life in the future.