Ararat Screened in Turkey
As 24 April, the date when Armenians worldwide remember the 1915-1917 Genocide, approaches, some startling news. A film by Canadian-Armenian Atom Egoyan based around the massacre and deportation of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire has been broadcast in Turkey. The English-language Turkish Daily News has more and says in particular that the taboo placed upon discussion of this event in Armenia’s estranged neighbor has now been broken.
In my view, Tuncay Özkan’s Kanal Türk brought down a taboo on Thursday night. It aired ‘Ararat,’ the best-known propaganda film promoting the Armenian genocide allegations at the level of international public opinion.
Unfortunately, the film did not have the effect that most Armenians would hope for. However, and to be totally frank, it really is a lousy and very tedious film. I bought it on DVD and was so disappointed that I couldn’t get through more than half of it before sticking it back in the box and placing it on a shelf to gather dust. Even in the Soviet era there were better films on the Genocide than this, and Ararat was met with mixed reviews.
I am a person who believes that the events of 1915 cannot be characterized as genocide. I sometimes felt disturbed while watching the film; the events are distorted and facts are presented in an emotional and abstract manner. But it is not successful as a propaganda film, either. Its producer was criticized by the Armenian diaspora when the film was first released. In summary, “Ararat” is not impressive at all from the perspective of Armenian propaganda, either.
Still, I suppose we couldn’t expect a shift in the intrenched mentality of denial in Turkey, and it does have to be said that screening the movie is a positive first step. In particular, it has set a precedent.
Kanal Türk did the right thing. It proved that this film can be shown in a Turkey that has self-confidence and which does not believe the Armenian allegations of genocide. It showed that the airing of a propaganda film is received as a normal thing in the society, no matter how disturbing it is.
The full item can be read here, although you will need to register for free in order to do so. Of as much interest is how the Turkish Daily News reported the plan to show the film. I don’t think I’ve seen language in reports on the Genocide in Turkey used like this one.
A private television channel will broadcast a controversial movie on the deaths of Armenians during World War I, which Armenians describe as a “genocide” at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, for the first time in Turkey, where the subject still arouses nationalist feelings, a spokesman for the station said yesterday.
Kanaltürk decided to show “Ararat” by Canadian director Atom Egoyan, an ethnic Armenian, after a survey of viewers revealed that 72 percent of participants wanted to see the film, the spokesman said.
The showing of the film is particularly interesting given that it was originally banned from cinemas when it was released in 2002.
Kanaltürk decided to show “Ararat” by Canadian director Atom Egoyan, an ethnic Armenian, after a survey of viewers revealed that 72 percent of participants wanted to see the film, the spokesman said.
�We will air the movie with no cuts or censorship,� he added.
Even though the Turkish government gave the go-ahead for the showing the film, which was released in 2002, an Istanbul company was forced in 2004 to drop plans to screen the movie because of potential protests that would have required police presence in theaters.
Turkey categorically denies Armenian allegations that some 1.5 million Armenians were killed as part of a genocide campaign in eastern Anatolia during World War I and calls for an objective scientific study of the issue to refute the claims.
[…]
Egoyan’s film deals with the estranged members of a contemporary Armenian family who are faced with both Turkey’s denial of genocide and their own individual plight.
[…]
The parliaments of 18 countries have passed resolutions recognizing the alleged genocide, and those countries were informed of Ankara’s negative reaction through diplomatic channels.
Several parliaments, including those of France, Canada and Poland, have passed resolutions backing Armenian genocide claims. There has been strong pressure from Armenians worldwide for the U.S. Congress to recognize their allegations as well.
Yes, I know it’s still all “alleged,” but it appears to be discussed in a far more moderate way than before. Is something changing in Turkey, or am I hoping for too much?