Voyage to Amasia

Voyage to Amasia

Directed by Randy Bell & Eric V. Hachikian
An Armenian composer searches for his roots in Turkey.
Website
Official Website
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Voyage to Amasia Trailer

Overview

Genre
Personal Doc, Human Rights, History, and Contemporary Issues
Synopsis

Voyage to Amasia documents composer Eric Hachikian’s return to his ancestral home - Amasia, Turkey - nearly 100 years after Ottoman soldiers deported his grandmother, Helen Shushan, and her family.

Eric’s family’s deportation from Amasia was just one of many Armenian death-marches happening across Turkey during this time. Using World War I as a cover, the Ottoman government systematically deported and executed its Armenian citizens, and historians estimate that 1-1.5 million Armenians died between 1915 and 1923. It was the first genocide of the 20th century.

The film traces a path through the past,uncovering what his family's life in Turkey might have been like. It also explores how the events of nearly a century ago continue to strain the relationship between Armenians and Turks today. Inspired by one family's story, the filmmakers embark on their own journey in the hopes of finding a greater understanding between two peoples still at odds.

Stage
finished
Running time
84 minutes

Credits

  • Randy Bell ... Director, Producer, Cinematographer
  • Eric V. Hachikian ... Director, Producer, Composer

Production Details

Country
United States
Years of Production
2011
Locations
Turkey, Armenia, USA

Distribution Details

Release year
2011
Awards
Best Documentary, Pomegranate Film Festival; Special Jury Award, Alexandria Film Festival
Language
English, Turkish, Armenian
Subtitles
English

Photos

C6d4b3bbdeb649f7be1c960ceb8a62bc

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