FINDING HIS ROOTS: AN NFL PLAYER WITH AN ARMENIAN HERITAGE HEADS TO THE HOMELAND
By Ani Amirkhanian
Burbank Leader, CA
Oct 25 2006
Peter Musurlian can be found toting a video camera around the cityand
documenting people and places for Burbank TV6, the city’s public-access
channel.
But it turns out that Musurlian’s camera isn’t only trained on city
doings. He’s got a larger field of view.
Musurlian, 44, the senior producer and station manager for Burbank’s
public access channel, is also a documentary filmmaker.
He recently finished his first documentary film, "The Long Journey
from the NFL to Armenia," which he produced, directed and submitted to
the Arpa International Film Festival – a three-day, Los Angeles-based
festival of film screenings that explore issues of diaspora, exile
and multiculturalism.
In his film, Musurlian documents the journey of Rien Long, a
25-year-old defensive lineman for the Tennessee Titans, on his trip
to Armenia in search of his roots.
"I’d been studying the idea of going to Armenia," said Musurlian,
a Glendale resident. "In the 1960s, everybody wanted to go back to
the homeland. That was the dream. Now it’s a reality."
The Wisconsin-born Musurlian, who is of Armenian descent and the
grandson of genocide survivors, learned about Long after his friend and
co-producer, Arbi Ohanian, heard about the Armenian football player.
"I had no idea who Long was," Musurlian said. "I was not interested
in the first place." advertisement
But Musurlian changed his mind about Long after he found out that
the 6-foot, 300-pound lineman had always wanted to go to Armenia to
learn about his heritage.
"He had only heard stories during family functions," Musurlian said.
"Long’s great-uncle would talk about Armenia. That was the driving
force in his interest in Armenia."
Musurlian also discovered that Long identified so strongly with his
ancestral roots that he opted to get a tattoo of the Armenian flag
on his right bicep.
He even got a tattoo of a design inspired by an 11th-century Armenian
cathedral on his left arm with his Armenian name, "Vartan," woven
into the design.
Musurlian accompanied Long, his mother and grandmother to Armenia
for 15 days in March.
He documented Long’s visits to historical monuments, cathedrals,
schools and points of interest and interviewed Long about his
experience and impressions of the country.
His co-producer Arbi Ohanian went along to provide assistance to Long
and Musurlian.
"I participated mainly by helping out with some of the planning,
guiding the tour through the different locations, being a translator,"
Ohanian said.
"Peter made it very easy for me to participate in this process."
Musurlian hopes the documentary will interest more non-Armenian
audiences.
His goal is for non-Armenian film goers to see the film as much
as Armenians.
"I’m not doing this film just for Armenians," Musurlian said. "I want
to see people’s reactions and I’d like to hear everyone’s response."
The festival films are being shown from Oct. 25 through Oct. 27 at
the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.
Musurlian’s documentary, "The Long Journey from the NFL to Armenia,"
will be shown on Oct. 26.
Photo: Documentary filmmaker Peter Musurlian displays the video
he produced of NFL player Rien Long finding his roots on a trip to
Armenia. Long is displayed on the screen with Father Der Hovaness,
left, a priest with whom he became acquainted during his 15-day trip
to Armenia.
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