Derenik Demirchian’s “Elemental” is a deeply psychological and semi-autobiographical story inspired by the author’s years in Europe. The protagonist — a starving Armenian student in Lausanne — struggles to survive amid hunger, humiliation, and loneliness, torn between pride and despair. Through intense interior monologue and vivid realism, Demirchian captures the human spirit’s desperate resistance to degradation. “Elemental” is both a portrait of individual suffering and a universal reflection on man’s search for meaning and dignity in a merciless world.