Graduated from Yerevan State University (the Romano-Germanic Philology Department), Yerevan Institute of Literature and Moscow Institute of World Literature, he came into cinema while practicing in Mosfilm Studios in 1960s. There he assisted Andrei Tarkovsky during the shooting of his _Andrei Rublyov (1969)_. worked at Armenfilm Studios as an editor, assistant director and film director. Tarkovsky was the creative adviser of the Hovhanissian's first feature film "Winepress (Sour Grape)".