SCREAMERS!
Wow... 2 blogs back to back... either I have way too much time on my hands (which is not the case), orrrrr I've just been sooo active that there is more to write about.. (this is probably it!).
So tonight I went to see "Screamers" the movie about the Armenian Genocide, which is part of the AFI Festival. Even though it's almost 1am, and I have to be awake and energetic in 5 hours for kindergartners, I feel as though I can't quite go to sleep if I don't get my thoughts about this documentary out of my mind (for now).
Basically, "Screamers" presents the Armenian Genocide - alongside the many other genocides committed in the 20th and 21st centuries... from many different angles. The underlying "chain" was System of a Down. The filmmaker follows the members of System of a Down, documenting how their music brings awareness to issues of human rights (especially the Armenian Genocide), while also giving historical background and eyewitness accounts of the Armenian Genocide. What's interesting is, that we follow SOAD while they tour to London, Amsterdam, Germany... and see how they've impacted the youth with their message. What I thought was also an integral part of the film, was that they included interviews with Hrant Dink, Sybil Edmunds, Samantha Powers and other human rights activists, who speak out about Genocide, Turkey, and what seemed to be of great focus in the film... "the politics of Genocide".
I won't say too much about the movie... you can go read the synopsis at the website. I'd like to talk more about my thoughts. Let me start off by saying that, as an active Armenian youth, I've seen my share of films/accounts/presentations/lectures/interviews-etc. regarding the Armenian Genocide. I have to say, that this particular film presented not only the stories of those who were speaking in the movie, but also of EVERY SINGLE descendent of EVERY SINGLE Genocide survivor. It talked about the passing on of this "heaviness of soul"... the impact of denial on the Armenian psyche (or any other person's)... and for a moment, I couldn't help remembering how that was a MAJOR theme in Egoyan's ARARAT.
The documentary showed horrific scenes from the genocides in Armenia, Germany, Cosova, Rwanda, and Sudan... and I was so frustrated seeing these images between the images of various American presidents or spokespeoople, who tried sooooo hard to avoid saying the word "genocide". At one point, their remarks were so ridiculous, the audience in the theatre laughed at how stupid they sounded, myself included! Who put these people there? WE DID!!!!??? I was also very frustrated, because I thought about how our daily lives pass with a blink of an eye... we go through the same robotic routine every single day... and how is it, that we don't take action about inhumane acts of violence that are taking place RIGHT NOW!!! How is it, that as Armenians, ... as descendents of the survivors of those very same injustices, we are not coming together to help stop that tragedy from repeating???? Why are we not pointing and yelling at the top of our lungs....? As a young Armenian, I remember looking at those clippings from the New York Times, or other American media, and wondering why the American public didn't do something about it? Why were we just another headline??? And yet.... now, IIIIIII belong to that public, and read the headlines....
Sure, we can sign a petition, send a fax or an email.... but somehow, that's not enough for me. Is it for you? And so... this movie says it best.... Everyone needs to become a SCREAMER! A SCREAMER is someone who doesn't sit around while people die in Darfur... a SCREAMER doesn't say, "well the past is the past" --- a SCREAMER does not forget... a SCREAMER demands justice.... a SCREAMER is someone like the members of SOAD...
a SCREAMER is -------you?
So tonight I went to see "Screamers" the movie about the Armenian Genocide, which is part of the AFI Festival. Even though it's almost 1am, and I have to be awake and energetic in 5 hours for kindergartners, I feel as though I can't quite go to sleep if I don't get my thoughts about this documentary out of my mind (for now).
Basically, "Screamers" presents the Armenian Genocide - alongside the many other genocides committed in the 20th and 21st centuries... from many different angles. The underlying "chain" was System of a Down. The filmmaker follows the members of System of a Down, documenting how their music brings awareness to issues of human rights (especially the Armenian Genocide), while also giving historical background and eyewitness accounts of the Armenian Genocide. What's interesting is, that we follow SOAD while they tour to London, Amsterdam, Germany... and see how they've impacted the youth with their message. What I thought was also an integral part of the film, was that they included interviews with Hrant Dink, Sybil Edmunds, Samantha Powers and other human rights activists, who speak out about Genocide, Turkey, and what seemed to be of great focus in the film... "the politics of Genocide".
I won't say too much about the movie... you can go read the synopsis at the website. I'd like to talk more about my thoughts. Let me start off by saying that, as an active Armenian youth, I've seen my share of films/accounts/presentations/lectures/interviews-etc. regarding the Armenian Genocide. I have to say, that this particular film presented not only the stories of those who were speaking in the movie, but also of EVERY SINGLE descendent of EVERY SINGLE Genocide survivor. It talked about the passing on of this "heaviness of soul"... the impact of denial on the Armenian psyche (or any other person's)... and for a moment, I couldn't help remembering how that was a MAJOR theme in Egoyan's ARARAT.
The documentary showed horrific scenes from the genocides in Armenia, Germany, Cosova, Rwanda, and Sudan... and I was so frustrated seeing these images between the images of various American presidents or spokespeoople, who tried sooooo hard to avoid saying the word "genocide". At one point, their remarks were so ridiculous, the audience in the theatre laughed at how stupid they sounded, myself included! Who put these people there? WE DID!!!!??? I was also very frustrated, because I thought about how our daily lives pass with a blink of an eye... we go through the same robotic routine every single day... and how is it, that we don't take action about inhumane acts of violence that are taking place RIGHT NOW!!! How is it, that as Armenians, ... as descendents of the survivors of those very same injustices, we are not coming together to help stop that tragedy from repeating???? Why are we not pointing and yelling at the top of our lungs....? As a young Armenian, I remember looking at those clippings from the New York Times, or other American media, and wondering why the American public didn't do something about it? Why were we just another headline??? And yet.... now, IIIIIII belong to that public, and read the headlines....
Sure, we can sign a petition, send a fax or an email.... but somehow, that's not enough for me. Is it for you? And so... this movie says it best.... Everyone needs to become a SCREAMER! A SCREAMER is someone who doesn't sit around while people die in Darfur... a SCREAMER doesn't say, "well the past is the past" --- a SCREAMER does not forget... a SCREAMER demands justice.... a SCREAMER is someone like the members of SOAD...
a SCREAMER is -------you?
posted by shooosh at 1:01 PM
3 Comments:
Where is that showing?
Wow, what a film it must have been ! Nice to read such lines Shoosh, hope everyone should just go on that way : indifference and cynicism are what seem to have killed our human essence "say NO to injustice!" ability
www.collectifvan.org : is the website of an organisation that defends the kind of open point of view you'd like to see more often amongst armenians. Just an orinag : considering our history, we should be much more vigilant on each alarm against human rights, and of course, risks of genocide
The film will be opening on Dec. 8, 2006. Check the website - www.screamersmovie.com for more info.
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