I am receiving many responses on my blog to the news that I intend to make a film on the Armenian Genocide. Many different points of views. Many wanting to share experiences of their family members that told them stories of those times that have been etched in their minds. Many different interpretations of history too. So I am creating a stream on my blog for everyone to be able to respond to each other in series of what hopefully will turn out to be a a very very constructive conversation. Please feel free to respond to each other.
I start with a letter from Phillip Hagopian
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| Hi, I am writing in response to an article about Mr. Kapur’s upcoming project concerning the Armenian Genocide. First one must consider that modern day Armenia is located in a strategic region ( borders Iran and close enough to Russian border to be of importance ) , furthermore it is a region imbued with controversy due to several influences attempting to monopolize academia and revise the long known facts of history. The article mentions that the Ottoman Turks victimized Armenians who had lived in Anatolia for “generations” after immigrating from the northeast ( incidentally that northeast region which is now modern day Armenia geo-political borders is a mere tiny fraction of what comprized Armenians very , VERY ancient motherland {13,500 B.C. oldest permanant settlement ever uncovered – Gobecki Tepe – built by Armenians ). Talaat pasha ( along with Djemal and Envers Pasha ) who spearheaded the official genocide in 1915 stated , “We will erase all trace and memory of Armenians from their ancient motherland”. My point is , we did NOT immigrate to Anatolia AFTER the Ottoman Empire began decimating our population 700 years ago. WE WERE ALWAYS THERE. Yes, we were indigenous to the region since before recorded history. The facts become slightly murky prior to 15,000 years ago but the most widely accepted version of our history( prior to the social-political-academic shifts after the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. ) was that Armenians may have migrated from the Indus River valley between sixty and twenty thousand years ago however some archeologists and historians asserted that Armenoids had “always” been in the fertile crescent and trade and migration occured between India and Arratta ( Armenia’s older name ) back and forth over thousands of years ( there is a distinct linguistic connection between Sanskrit and Armenian language ) . My point is Armenia is now the subject of heated and controversial debate. Clearly there are motives for the propagandists to revise this history. This occurs mostly from Turkey and it’s allies but oddly enough the propagandists have now surfaced WITHIN ARMENIA in effect carrying out and fiinishing Talaat’s initiative to erase us from our motherland. We have suffered and still do suffer greatly from not only physical genocide and war but also cultural genocide from the misinformation and “sell-out” historians who betray a history which until very recently was firmly established. It is the same as claiming Native Americans sailed to America a few years AFTER the English landed in Plymouth harbor on the American coast. After all we have endured let the record PLEASE be set straight. We are the indigenous people not only of ALL of ancient Turkey , the fertile crescent , and the western part of the Persian gulf but also Northern Iran and Iraq. Later our kingdom expanded from the Meditteranean Sea to the Caspian ( 2000B.C. ) but never , NEVER were our people limited to the tiny northern region which is now the geo-political borders of modern tiny Armenia.I pray the principles of truth will prevail. Thankyou and good wishes on your very fine productions.” |
I appreciate what you say Phillip about the history of the Armenian people, certainly a very long and cultured history that has unfortunately suffered a terrible genocide. What never ceases to amaze me though is how such history can be so twisted and turned by various political forces, depending on what’s on their particular self interest agenda.
It’s for this reason of historical revisionism that films about the Armenian Genocide, such as the one that Shekhar Kapur is planning to make, are so important, i.e. these films can show us what it was like in those days of the Genocide, and perhaps more importantly, what can be in terms of healing from that Genocide. To the latter point, films can illuminate and by extension offer up possibilities which can pave a way forward.
As a filmmaker myself (currently making a film about the famous Armenian priest and composer Komitas that was tragically caught up in the Armenian Genocide – see http://www.KomitasTheMovie.com), I have some idea about how much work it can be to make a film. That Shekhar Kapur has chosen to devote his efforts to the making of a feature film about the Armenian Genocide is simply wonderful! Thank you Shekhar for taking on this project. My sincere best wishes to you on a very successful film.
David Deranian
Dear Sir,
You are a filmmaker with a difference. You resort to extreme creativity without any compromise.
I am Sukanta from Mumbai.
I have last year got published a novel. No body noticed the novel as I could not promote it and my publisher despite hefty promises left it unattended.
Initially, I was expecting the book to go viral and create a lot of controversy. it is not a masterpiece but definitely a challenge for the most creative director.
it dwells on the life of a woman as she moves in life from love to betrayal, from lust to fulfillment of desire, from illegal love to love making with the same gender. It also sprinkles a little bit of patriotism.
I am requesting to let me know if I can send you a PDF file of the book. I am not a script writer, but if you agree to consider it, i will try one.
At present I am heartbroken and desperate. I have to write two more books. All grey/dark/red(violent) and pink(intimate).
please respond and give a new direction to life.
I would also say that this book is like a unpolished rock. In the hands of experts and creative dirctors like you, it will shine like a diamond and will be remembered, any ones else tries it, it will become useless coal dust.
Please respond.
Regards
S K Mishra
sumeettiki@yahoo.co.in
9969053301
Hiii!!!!
Yesterday evening wanted to see you and went to watch VP…must say after a long gap saw you on big screen and its such a treat to watch an actor who moves without a weight, however the mind reflexes are so sensitive to situation, that’s what I felt watching your character, Kamal’s expected to be good and he is, hope the second one , you should shock us all…hmmm….if Bose is still in second, how about the director of film telling him to act as if he is mentally fatigued, say there is loss of vitality psychologically? it seems that Mullah’s character could not come out well in certain scenes…had a hearty laugh when the film ends…why the end song…ha ha ha and its just a film but well…that’s insult to all the agencies involved …khair…dikha toh bika…when u come to our part of world its been long i wish to meet you…its been over a year…very rarely i come on net…busy with just my world and writing stories….i know i need capable actors and do not know when i will get them…but am very happy with what i am doing…hhope to see you in VP2 my best wishes to all
There must be some evolutionary reason behind some communities/nations (like Sikhs here in India at times of Ahmad Shah Abdali and even later) going through genocides.
Likely since my book Self Designed Universe tells me that all evolution – of individuals, communities, countries, species – happens basically because of any system’s going through four fundamental interactions at their respective life-levels. And that the second gives a phase like our youth, the phase I call of loves, wars and travels (phase of Nomadic Man at more higher level) .
And just as we experience sort of death and resurrection by end of youth (necessary to become a rational man from emotional) similarly communities/nations do.
Here those communities which are further the product of the phase of the second interaction on some higher cycle level (those nations who took birth in the age of Romanticism or Bhagti-age on AD cultural cycle level) bear the most brunt. Armenians must be one of them. Sikhs too are.
The post – Armenia Turkey and Genocide – is not just confined to that region, I think this is universal condition and more so in India where a particular cast, creed lives for generations and a land mafia comes to claim the land…see what I mean?
The more I read, the more history is unfolding so is future…it tells about the motives, business motives, to get to change a particular country how a powerful country gives bait to that particular country…in that process one realizes how the game is played…
I also feel that its not about right or wrong…they are at certain stage in polarity…it would be interesting if Shekhar Kapur takes the why’s of the motives who are messing up with those people and also those characters representing various villains (country/interests) to show them why they are doing in dramatic ways. It would be interesting to see that its not about doing the right thing…even when things go wrong…what is just? It may not happen where you portray a wrong and show what is wrong to audience makes audience feel moral…naah it should show altogether a view that is above right and wrong…that would be just…and what is just:)
Dear Shekhar Ji ,
I have been a huge fan and admirer of your work ever since you made Bandit Queen.You are one of the rare directors with a vision and view point which comes closest to reality as it exists and not necessarily as we know it.
I wish you all the luck with your new venture on Armenia Genocide .Hopefully you would provide a strong voice to the Armenians , a voice which would be heard across the globe with relevant impact.
My Regards
Vijay Balhara