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Film on sole Armenian village in Turkey being translated into Turkish

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The 2012 film by American writer Caroline Trent-Gurbuz and Turkish photojournalist Sait Serkan Gurbuz, and which is about the sole remaining Armenian village in Turkey, is being translated into Turkish.

A total of 22 biographies, six photo stories, and two short videos are presented in this documentary, entitled “A Shrinking Community: Vakıflı, Turkey’s Last Armenian Village,” which was shot under the auspices of the US embassy in Ankara, according to Agos Armenian weekly of Istanbul.

The English version of this film is accessible at Vakifli.com.

Three major Iranian cities host Armenian Movie Week

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Three major Iranian cities – Tehran, Mashhad and Shiraz – held screenings of Armenian films as part of the Armenian Movie Week, a weeklong program initiated and organized by the Armenian Embassy in Iran from 23 to 29 July, the press service of Armenia’s Foreign Ministry told Panorama.am.

From the dozens of films submitted for screening by Armenia’s Ministry of Culture, the program organizers selected 10 works by Aram Shahbazyan, Aren Vatyan, Vigen Chaldranyan, Michael Poghosyan and the other filmmakers, with the film screenings organized by Art and Experience Iranian culture center.

During the film screenings, the Armenian and Iranian filmmakers and experts held discussions on the history of the Armenian cinema, the film industry, as well as the modern filmmaking trends.

Highly appreciating the weeklong program, Ambassador of Armenia to Iran, Artashes Tumanyan highlighted the commitment of the Armenian side to hold similar events periodically. “Our key purpose is to properly present the Armenian culture and Armenia in Iran. Thus, this event marked an important step in that respect,” the Ambassador said.

 

Source Panorama.am

Joe Berlinger says his film will help Turkey to reckon with its past #ArmenianGenocide

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Joe Berlinger Film Armenian GenocideThe screening of the film by American documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger “Intent to Destroy” took place on Sunday during the closing ceremony of the 14th Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival. The documentary, telling about the Armenian Genocide was premiered during Tribeca film festival.  Before initiating the work, the author had numerous meetings with historians and academicians to spread light on the topic of the Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s denialist policy.

On Sunday, Joe Berlinger was awarded with a special Master prize granted by the Golden Apricot festival, that was handed over by General Director of the Golden Apricot festival Harutyun Khachatryan. 

“Joe Berlinger made serious work for the Armenian people, its history,” Khachatryan stated, while handing over the award to the author.

The American filmmaker who lives in New York said he has always shared strong ties with the Armenians.

“I am a Jewish who suffered horrendous genocide as the Armenian people. The difference is that the perpetrator of our genocide accepted it guilt, while the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide has been refusing to recognize and vehemently denying it. That was the reason for me to film this documentary. I hope much this film will help Turkey to come to terms with the crime it committed,” Berlinger said.

The scriptwriter also thanked the organizers of the festival.
“The several days I had the opportunity to spend in Yerevan reinstated my love and affection with your country I have always admired,” the filmmaker added.

 

Source Panorama.am

Turkish documentary telling the story of Islamized Armenians to be premiered in Yerevan

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story of Islamized Armenians The documentary “The Children of Vank” (Vank’ın Çocukları), telling the story of the Armenians who survived the Genocide and then went through another cycle of violence during the 1937-1938 bloody military campaign initiated by the Turkish state in Dersim region (currently Tunceli), will be screened in Yerevan on June 7.

Nezahat Gündoğan, the film director, who originates from Dersim and attempts to raise the untold stories of the massacre survivors, told a press conference today in Yerevan, suggesting the Turkish people themselves are the target auditorium of the film.

“They should reckon with the past pages of their history. The film features heroes in their live language, telling their stories without any author interferences, and the film, certainly, contains the Genocide word,” the film director said.

The premiere of “Children of the Monastery” was held on February 9 this year in Istanbul.

Kazim Gundogan and Nezahat Gundogan, the researchers of the movie, traced the Armenian survivors of these two genocides in the provinces of Konya, Bolu, Istanbul, Izmir, and Dersim and conducted interviews with them. Dozens of accounts and facts collected during the interviews spread a light on the fate of hundreds of Christian children who survived the Dersim massacre, were subjected to Turkification and grew up in Turkish or Kurdish families without their families knowing anything about it.

The film reflects on the story of the only Armenian St. Karapet monastery that operated in the area and whose clergy was arrested and killed along with Alevi and Armenian population of the village in the course of the massacres. The church was destroyed by the state in 1938.

 

Source Panorama.am

“The Promise” Sets Hollywood Technique Against the Armenian Genocide’s Horrors

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By Alan Scherstuhl,
Terry George’s The Promise has the rare good fortune of turning up in theaters just weeks after another film showed how necessary a movie like this is. The second star-driven war-adventure film of 2017 to set a cross-cultural love triangle against the horror of the Armenian Genocide, The Promise would outclass its forerunner, The Ottoman Lieutenant, even if it weren’t manifestly better in its story and acting and more arresting in its sweep.

The Ottoman Lieutenant, more a romance than a reckoning with history, never quite brings itself to admit that the Armenian Genocide actually happened — instead, it presents the Ottoman Empire in the era of the First World War as a land torn generically by war, one whose people at least had the good fortune to be tended to by Hera Hilmar’s plucky American nurse, who will treat anyone, regardless of which god they serve. Much of that film concerns her dueling suitors, and the final shot is a howler: In the highlands near Mt. Ararat, a parade line of wounded and dying Turks and Armenians lie on their gurneys as the camera cranes out and Hilmar dashes purposefully from one to the next. Civilization has crumbled, faiths are clashing and the Turks have set in motion the extermination of some 1.5 million Armenians, but the movie urges us not to worry — she’s got this.

Nobody’s got the situation under control in The Promise, a handsome but lumpish film whose creators are too honest to lie to us about individual heroism. George and Robin Swicord have also built their screenplay around three conflicted lovers, but here the history overwhelms the romance. Nobody in The Promise has to point out that their love problems don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, because that crazy world is forever trying to kill them and everyone they care about. Rather than sweat over who’s crushing on whom, the protagonists endeavor to survive, offer aid to refugees and let the world know the truth about a campaign of mass murder that, to this day, the Turkish government still won’t officially acknowledge.

Oscar Isaac stars as Michael, an Armenian man who in 1914 leaves his village in the mountains to study medicine in Constantinople. When the killing starts, and Turks are attacking Armenians in the streets (a scene reminiscent of George’s Hotel Rwanda), it takes him agonizing minutes to bring down an assailant. He’s assisted in this by Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), an Armenian ballerina, who chucks cabbages at the killers’ heads. The movie’s an epic, but the characters are human-scaled; their desperate actions are refreshingly un-aestheticized.

Called to arms in the late reels, Michael can’t bring himself to shoot the Turks advancing on an encampment of Armenian refugees. Instead, he dedicates himself to treating the wounded. Principled pacifism here is as noble and moving as it is in Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge, but George handles it in just heartbeats — and without the sense that he’s aroused by the violence the pacifist rejects.

Read more: http://www.villagevoice.com/film/the-promise-sets-hollywood-technique-against-the-terror-of-the-armenian-genocide-9887292

LOS ANGELES: 20th Anniversary of Arpa International Film Festival Preparations Underway

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Arpa International Film Festival logo, Arpa International Film Festival committee members

Arpa International Film Festival is one of the oldest independent film festivals in Los Angeles. On November 3-5, 2017 the festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, followed by a special Awards Banquet at the Glendale Hilton on November 5.

This year, screenings for our 20th year will bring a diverse tapestry in global cinema, with a stimulating selection of films that cultivate cultural understanding and global empathy. Call for films have been announced and details can be found by checking www.arpafilmfestival.com

We are very proud that our festival has solidified into the leading outlet in Hollywood for international cinema, exploring issues like diaspora, war, genocide, dual identity, exile and multiculturalism, while inspiring our local and global community to connect and advance progressive cinematic art.

One of the reasons of Affma’s 20 year success is our connection to the community as a whole. It is within this wholeness that we are able to form new relationships all around the globe and deliver numerous film openings, inspire many avenues for new projects so that our many gifted individuals achieve their highest goals imaginable.

Our prestigious Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award is extended to a special filmmaker for their creativity that fulfills our mission. Our International jury from the professional film community acts as a supportive body to encourage filmmakers to re-examine, explore and concentrate on their own creative development.

We are also very proud to search for, bring and screen films that are so important to our community. In previous years we have screened hundreds of films that have touched us, and more recently films such as Women of 1915, Crows of the Desert, Hot Country-Cold Winter, Lost Birds, When My Sorrow Died | The Legend of Armen Ra and the Theremin, Sumbat: The Life and Art, and our special screening at our 19th Annual opening night “Behind the Scenes of The Promise” with a Q & A with Dr. Esrailian and producer Mike Medavoy, and many more have created a great insight to the unbelievable imagination and talent of filmmakers leaving many of us in awe of their creativity.

Arpa International Film Festival committee members spend countless hours working selflessly to make one of the most important forms of art–film, reach our community, through these amazingly talented individuals from around to world, to inform, enrich and bring awareness to our community via their art. Yet, in order to continue growing our festival and its positive impact on the multinational film community, and to promote our own filmmakers in their creativity, we need the support of our community. Let us join in to bring this branch of the art to amazing levels. It will only happen with togetherness, support, and hard work which we are ready to undertake.

Let us remember what William Saroyan has said:

“Film is the best medium by which to acquaint non-Armenians with the Armenian people and culture. This is the only tested and proven means which other people use to familiarize the world about themselves. Why shouldn’t we do the same?”

Arpa Foundation for Film, Music and Art (AFFMA) a non- profit organization, encourages our community to support the upcoming film The Promise especially on the very first day of its screening in theaters on April 21, 2017.

‘Orphans of the Genocide’ Wins Best Documentary at Canada International Film Festival

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VANCOUVER, Canada (ArmRadio)—“Orphans of the Genocide,” chronicling the plight of the Armenian orphans of the Armenian Genocide, won the “Best Documentary Feature” award at the Canada International Film Festival held in Vancouver.

“Orphans of the Genocide,” directed by Bared Maronian, weaves historical archives with interviews and memoirs of Armenian orphans to establish irrevocable proof of the Armenian Genocide. An emotional, visual journey through never-before-seen archival footage and memoirs of orphans who lived through the last century’s first, fully documented, and least recognized genocide features insightful interviews with such prominent figures and scholars as British journalist Robert Fisk; Clark University’s director of the Strassler Family Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Prof. Debora Dwork; and Armenian-American Dr. Jack Kevorkian, among others.

“Orphans of the Genocide” is a documentary directed by Bared Maronian. The documentary includes a feature interview by Maurice Missak Kelechian, whose findings unveiled the secrets of an orphanage in Antoura near Beirut, Lebanon, where 1,000 Armenian Genocide Orphans were being turkified.

Canada International Film Festival recognizes the very best of world cinema from over 90 countries around the world. This year’s festival program included a wide variety of North American and International Feature Films to thought-provoking Shorts, Documentaries, Music Videos, Animations, Experimental Films, Student Films, a Screenplay Competition, and more.

Armenian genocide drama The Promise debuts new, classy poster

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by: Damion Damaske,

The Armenian Genocide is an important, and tragic, event that is not as well-known as you’d think. It was one of the first times in the modern era something like that was attempted (pre-empting the Holocaust and Darfur and many others in the decades to come). So while it’s great that this event is coming to light for more people who might not have been aware, I am wary of turning into an old-school historical love-triangle. It’s maybe a bit too old-fashioned? Didn’t we learn our lesson from PEARL HARBOR? But I love Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale, so I’m willing to give it a shot (and besides, I always enjoy a grand, sweeping epic now and again).

Here’s the official synopsis:

THE PROMISE takes place during the Armenian Genocide and tells the story of an Armenian medical student (Isaac) during the final days of the Ottoman Empire. He falls in love with Ana (Le Bon), causing issues with her boyfriend Chris (Bale). The Armenian Genocide resulted in a reported 1.5 million deaths and took place from 1915-1923.

Source: http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/epic-drama-the-promise-with-christian-bale-oscar-isaac-releases-poster-991

Elton John introduces “The Promise” Genocide drama at Oscar party

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Elton John and the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) Chairman David Furnish introduced Armenian Genocide film The Promise at West Hollywood Park during an Oscar commercial break, Asbarez reports citing The Verge.

“Survival Pictures committed to donate all proceeds from the film to nonprofit organizations, including EJAF and other humanitarian groups,” E!Online reported. “As part of its commitment, Survival Pictures matched the pledges each guest made to EJAF via text and live auction purchases at the event.”

The Promise, staring Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac, tells the story of the Armenian Genocide at the outset of World War I.

“Proud to introduce Open Road Films and Survival Pictures’ new film “The Promise” at #EJAF25 #KeepthePromise Survival Pictures will also be matching guest pledges made to EJAF via text & live auction purchases during our Academy Awards Viewing Party. Written by Terry George and Robin Swicord and directed by Terry George (Hotel Rwanda), The Promise stars Oscar Issac, Christian Bale, and Charlotte Le Bon,” reads a post on the EJAF Facebook page.

The Academy Awards viewing party raised a record of $7 million to help end HIV/AIDS.

Photo: Elton John AIDS Foundation
Related links:

ANCA Facebook Page
Asbarez. Elton John Introduces ‘The Promise’ Armenian Genocide Film at Oscar Party

Associated Television International to shoot documentary about Armenia

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Today Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan held a meeting with President of the Associated Television International David McKenzie.

The Information and Public Relations Department of the Armenian Government told Panorama.am that issues related to raising the international awareness of Armenia, presenting tourism opportunities and boosting tourism were touched upon during the meeting.

David McKenzie noted that the company plans to shoot a documentary about Armenia aiming to make it more recognizable to the world as the first Christian country, to present the Armenian people, history, culture and to increase the interest of tourists towards our country.

PM Karapetyan noted that the Armenian Government attaches importance to the steps aimed at boosting tourism in Armenian and is ready to discuss proposals regarding the matter.

 

Source Panorama.am