The Genocide in Who?
By Tamar Salibian
Critics’ Forum
Film and Music
April 23, 2006
In “The Genocide in Me” (2005), Araz Artinian tells her story of being
a Canadian-Armenian dealing with her father’s national obsession
and struggling with her own identity, while also recounting the
atrocities of the Armenian Genocide and its repercussions. Part
historical document, part travelogue and part family portrait, the
film presents the Armenian Genocide not only as a horrific tragedy
but as an eternal burden that the filmmaker carries in her personal
life. Artinian begins the film with an important and very difficult
question: how can she learn to understand her father’s national
obsession when her own perspective is so different from his? The film
takes important steps to try to answer this and other questions.
The film begins with Artinian visiting a memorial site while, in
a voiceover, she presents her main argument. Artinian states that,
for her, being Armenian was always “much more than being myself,”
and that now, because of the Armenian Genocide, everything to do with
her life, her happiness and her future, “goes back to 1915.” Family
footage shows the filmmaker as a young child playing on the beach,
and with a close-up still frame resembling one from Francois Truffaut’s
“400 Blows,” the film begins its journey.
Artinian’s parents were immigrants from Egypt who settled in Canada.
Araz’s father, Vrej Armen (which stands for “the revenge of the
Armenians”) is an activist in Montreal who was one of the founding
members of the local Sourp Hagop School. Artinian explains how her
grandmother’s intense patriotism and pressure on her father led him
to his activism and his political cause. Vrej Armen’s cause is that
of Genocide recognition, and he has influenced many lives with his
community work. His influence on his own daughter, however, is more
complex. “I’ve been carrying the weight of Turkey’s denial in my
schoolbag since my childhood,” Araz recounts as she worries about
visiting her parents. “`Asdvadz hedus,’ which means `may God be with
me'” she tells the camera before entering her parents’ home to have
dinner and talk.
The film presents a splendidly interwoven mix of archival and recent
footage showing Artinian as a child, a young woman and an adult. In
the dinner scene, the editing masterfully combines old footage of the
family at their dining room table with newer footage of Artinian asking
her parents questions. The young Araz is a playful girl who sings and
dances while the older, present-day Araz searches for answers from
her family. The old footage shows the family affirming their Armenian
language and customs so that Araz and her sister will learn them as
well. The filmmaker presents these affirmations as pressure passed
on from generation to generation resulting in resentment towards her
culture. “I always had a love-hate relationship with my language,”
Araz notes; yet she strives to understand the layers of her culture.
Artinian wishes to understand her father’s national obsession, his
connection to the past, and the repercussions that the Genocide had on
the Armenian people. She wonders, “How can I connect with something I
had never seen before?” and soon embarks on a trip to Turkey to visit
historic Armenian sites. On the trip, she encounters a Turkish tour
guide who denies the major events of the Genocide.
She meets an American traveler who questions such denials. And she
spends time with a young Turkish man of Armenian descent who recounts
his grandmother’s stories of being rescued from the Genocide by a
Turkish man who later became her husband. This trip proves to be
fruitful to the viewer, as we are able to notice what has happened
in Turkey over decades after the Genocide. Yet the viewer also feels
that Artinian often skims the surface of her personal questions
of identity. She asks, “Where do I belong? Do I belong in Armenia,
in Canada or in Turkey?” but does not answer the question.
While Artinian states, “I set aside my personal life” to understand
her father’s national obsession, the study of this obsession becomes
sideswiped during the film by Artinian’s own personal obsession with
intermarriage, a question which is never fully explored. The loose
connection between the study of Armenian history and the question of
love and intermarriage becomes no more than melodrama, as the film
is unable to suggest, ultimately, how one affects the other.
Artinian argues at her parents’ dinner table that intermarriage does
not always have a negative effect on the continuation of Armenian
culture, and her mother responds, “That’s not the problem right now.
The problem is that we have a huge cause ahead of us, and that is
the recognition of the Genocide.” Araz refuses to hear or understand
her mother’s important statement and quickly reminds her family that
the intermarriage question is the important one for her. Herein,
unfortunately, lies the film’s biggest problem. Artinian attempts
to present a complex study of her father, of Armenian history and
of the effects of genocide. Yet in the final moments of the film,
she returns to her question of intermarriage, telling the viewer,
“In spite of the Genocide, I want to be Armenian and free.” It is an
unfortunate ending for a film that asks so many important questions,
ones that perhaps cannot be answered in one film.
All Rights Reserved: Critics Forum, 2006
Tamar Salibian is a filmmaker and writer living in Los Angeles. She
has written for AIM magazine. Her latest film, “Beautiful Armenians,”
recently screened at the Armenian Film Festival in San Francisco.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Atom Egoyan’s `Ararat’ Screened in Bucharest and Costanza

21.04.2006 23:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Events dedicated to the 91st anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide started in Romania. April 19 presentation of `The
History of One Genocide Consigned to Silence’, the book by Romanian
writer of Armenian origin Sergeu Selyan took place in the Romanian
Union of Writers. Romanian Senate member, head of the standing
committee on financial and budget affairs Varuzhan Voskanian, Armenian
Ambassador to Romania Eghishe Sargsyan and editor of the newspaper
issued by the Armenian Union of Romania Mikael Ghazaryan delivered
speeches during the presentation.
Atom Egoyan’s `Ararat’ film was screened in Bucharest and Costanza;
exhibitions dedicated to the Armenian Genocide opened. The Costanza
governor, RA Ambassador to Romania and head of the Romanian Diocese of
the Armenian Apostolic Church attended the events, reported the RA MFA
press service.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Armenian Genocide Victims to Be Commemorated in Tbilisi
21.04.2006 23:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the initiative of the Armenian Center of
Cooperation of Georgia (ACCG) and `Nor Serund’, the Union of Armenians
of Georgia a protest action in view of the 91st anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide will be held at the Turkish Embassy in Tbilisi on
April 24, ACCG told PanARMENIAN.Net. Representatives of diasporas of
Georgia and Georgian NGOs are expected to attend the event. On the
same say a liturgy will be chanted in the Armenian Cathedral of Surb
Gevorg and a photo exhibition will be organized in the churchyard. The
events will finish with a march from Surb Gevorg towards Nor
Echmiadzin Church. Candles will be lit around the church.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Rafael Hambartsumyan: `Turkey and Russia Equally Guilty of Armenian Genocide’
21.04.2006 23:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Genocide was organized equally by
Russia and Turkey, historian Rafael Hambartsumyan stated in
Yerevan. In his words, when speaking of the Armenian Genocide several
important and concealed facts should be emphasized. `30 years before
the Genocide Russia put the slogan `Armenia without Armenians’ into
the mouth of prince Golitsyn,’ the Armenian historian said.
According to Hambartsumyan Russia always used Armenians for its own
ends. During the World War II Russia indirectly abetted Turkey in
perpetrating the Genocide by sending over 200 thousand soldiers to the
Russian-German front.
`As result of Moscow Treaty of 1921 Eastern Armenia was almost
completely occupied and divided between Turkey, Azerbaijan and
Georgia. The main purpose of the Treaty was the elimination of the
Armenian Republic,’ he said
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net
German Writer Received RA President’s Award for Contribution to the
Armenian Genocide Recognition

22.04.2006 00:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ April 15 Armenian President Robert Kocharian signed
a decree on awarding the persons, who contributed to the Armenian
Genocide recognition process, reported RA leader’s press
service. German writer Edgar Hilsenrath received the award for the
book titled `The Tale of the Last Thought’ and Verjine Svazlyan was
awarded for the book titled `The Armenian Genocide and Historical
Memory of People’.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net
Armenian-Georgian-Ajarian Business Forum to Be Held in Ajaria in May
22.04.2006 00:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An Armenian-Georgian-Ajarian business forum will be
held in Ajaria late May. The forum will be followed by an
Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental sitting. According to chairman of
the Armenian-Georgian and Armenian-Ajarian associations Vladimir
Badalyan, the Armenian-Georgian association has been successfully
functioning for two years already.
`One of the tasks of the Armenian-Georgian association is the
organization of summer vacations in foreign states for the middle
section of the Armenian population. 12 thousand Armenian citizens took
a vacation to Ajaria in 2005. This figure can double if the transport
problem is solved,’ Badalyan said.
Badalyan noted that presently the journey from Armenia to Batumi takes
16 hours, meanwhile the construction of a road through Javakhk will
shorten the way with 6 hours. `It will contribute to the development
of Javakhk and attract investments to the Ajarian economy,’ he said.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Baku Says Information on Azerbaijan’s Intention to Resume Hostilities
Groundless
22.04.2006 00:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `The militaristic statements to return the seized
land by force have become very frequent recently. Is it a coincidence?
For all appearance it’s not. In the opinion of representatives of
international structures and specifically the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs, the year of 2006 can become the most suitable for a
peaceful settlement. There is an expression `Lie repeated many times
becomes the truth at last’. Perhaps hurhaber.com Turkish website tried
to make the expression true,’ Zerkalo Baku-based newspaper writes.
According to acting head of the Azerbaijani press office Ilgar
Verdiyev, this information does not correspond to reality and peaceful
talks are going on. As for Azerbaijani MFA’s position, head of the
department of information policy Tahir Taghizade remarked he does not
think it’s necessary to comment on the nonsense spread by the Turkish
website. `Azerbaijan abides by the peaceful settlement,’ Taghizade
said.
For his part, independent political scientist Eldar Namazov remarked
that the information is either an obvious stupidity or serious
provocation. According to the political scientist a paradox situation
occurs, presently hostilities can be profitable for Armenia, but it’s
Azerbaijan, who makes military statements. He also noted that the
U.S. is not interested in the resumption of hostilities, since in this
case the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline will be receded into the
background.
In the words of political scientist Rasim Musabekov, the website is
not at all known and the information furnished by it doesn’t need any
comments.
To remind, Media-forum Azeri online newspaper with a reference to
hurhaber.com that allegedly received the information from a diplomatic
source, said that within 1 or 2 day Azerbaijan will start war for
Karabakh.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Stepan Stepanyan: Armenia Should Urge Turkey to Return Territories
22.04.2006 00:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia should raise the issue of returning of
historical Armenian territories by Turkey, head of the department of
history of the Armenian issue and Armenian Genocide of the Institute
of History at the National Academy of Sciences Stepan Stepanyan
considers. In his words, to date 18 states have recognized the
Armenian Genocide and this offers the reason to urge Turkey to return
the territories. Stepanyan considers that the Armenian diplomats and
Diaspora should play a significant role in the issue.
`We should not wait until all the states of the world recognize the
Armenian Genocide. The diplomatic work should be targeted at the
returning of historical Armenian territories. Turkey will never
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Its barbarian attitude to the issue
has not changed so far. On the contrary, when Armenia speaks of the
opening of the Armenian-Turkish border or Karabakh conflict settlement
Turkey tries to oblige Armenia to abandon the campaign on the Armenian
Genocide recognition,’ he said, reported Novosti-Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net
Monument to Armenian Genocide Victims in Lyon Guarded Around Clock
22.04.2006 00:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The monument to the Armenian Genocide victims that
was desecrated in Lyons assumed its former appearance. The vandalism
aroused the indignation not only of the Armenian but also of the
French official circles and the authorities decreed to protect the
monument. Guard groups and four policemen watch the monument around
the clock. Besides, the city authorities placed video cameras thanks
to which the situation around the monument is always kept under
control.
As it was reported earlier, French Minister of interior Nicholas
Sarkozy condemned the desecration of the monument and said the
criminals should be found and punished.
Official unveiling of the ceremony will take place April 24. The
French President is expected to attend the event, reported Hurriyet
Turkish newspaper.

AZG Armenian Daily #074, 22/04/2006
Armenian Genocide
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER DECLARES APRIL 23-27 A WEEK OF REMEMBRANCE OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared April 23-27
a week of remembrance of Armenian genocide victims, Lisa Galustian,
governor’s Los Angeles office deputy head, told RFE/RL. Underscoring
that California has the second largest Armenian population after
Armenia he stated that the descendants of Genocide survivors play an
important role in such spheres as state economy, culture, education
and governance. Mr. Schwarzenegger made an appeal to recognize the
Genocide. “The path to a more hopeful future lies through recognizing
the past. With this hope I stand beside our friends from the Armenian
community and urge the freedom loving Americans and other nations of
the world to recognize the Armenian Genocide.”
The Genocide remembrance week has aroused the indignation of Turkish
and Azerbaijani communities of America, and they are going to hold
protests during the week.
By Karine Danielian