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#21 Yervant1

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Posted 28 September 2016 - 09:10 AM

NewsBusters
Sept 26 2016
 
 
Film Starring Christian Bale Combats Armenian Genocide Denial
By Sarah Stites | September 26, 2016
 

At least Hollywood acknowledges the Armenian Genocide, even if President Obama won’t.

The Promise — which recently premiered at the 2016 Toronto Film Festival — is the latest historical drama directed by Terry George (Hotel Rwanda). Starring Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac, the film utilizes elegant cinematography, intense action sequences and a love triangle to address the horrific events of the 1915 – 1917 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.

burning_0.png?itok=6eKPXPwyYet, although the two-year trauma was massive in scale, claiming an estimated 1.5 million lives, filmmakers have tended to shy away from portraying the events of the period on screen. According to Slate’s Matthew Dessem, the “Armenian Genocide — or as President Obama calls it, “what occurred in 1915” — has long been curiously underrepresented on film.”

The Genocide is a touchy, divisive topic, especially in this time of Middle Eastern conflict. Turkey has denied the breadth of the tragedy as well as her own culpability, infuriating Armenians. The United States needs Turkey as an ally and has thus refused to explicitly label the massacre with the “g-word.” As a result, the onus has been on the media – and stars like Kim Kardashian – to educate the public. 

And that’s the main reason for George’s project – to inform the populace about the true nature of the events that occurred a century ago. “We were crucially aware of what we were trying to do,” George said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “So we said, let's get this thing made and put it out there, and then have the political debate and the conversation that we need to have.” 

genocide_0.png?itok=Pfbvww6kUnfortunately, although film critics were excited about the subject matter, most were disappointed with the final result.Variety’s Peter Debruge opined that “the events being considered deserve better than a sloggy melodrama” in which tragedy takes “a back seat to a not especially compelling love triangle.” The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore agreed. Mentioning the righteous ire displayed by American journalist Chris Myers – Bale’s character – DeFore penned: “We share his indignation [at the genocidal violence], of course, but ours is compounded by the knowledge that, a century later, Turkey continues to deny what happened here was a genocide. We just wish a better film were making this case.”

But at least it makes the case, which is more than we can say for our government’s executive branch. Debruge didn’t give Obama a pass in his review: “As broken promises go, President Obama has never followed through on his 2008 campaign pledge: ‘… As President, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.’” Dessem was equally pessimistic. “Depressingly enough,” he wrote, “if George wants The Promise to fulfill a similar mission [as Schindler’s List did in combatting Holocaust denial], he’ll have to arrange a screening at the White House.”

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#22 Yervant1

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Posted 21 October 2016 - 10:29 AM

The rabid denial industry is at work again! 

 

 
Armenian Genocide Film ‘The Promise’ Faces Tough Road to Distribution
 
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October 20, 2016
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The Promise,” a sweeping historical romance starring Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale, is the kind of movie epic they just don’t make anymore. It’s a throwback to David Lean’s “Doctor Zhivago” and Warren Beatty’s “Reds,” movies that transposed big, emotional stories against a sprawling canvas, and tugged at the heartstrings while dealing with thorny political periods.

It’s risky, but not just in that way. Not only is it one of the most expensive independently financed films ever made, it also deals frankly with the Armenian genocide. The mass killings of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire took place between 1915 and 1922, but decades later, the episode remains politically fraught. Bringing the story to the masses was a mission for Kirk Kerkorian, a businessman of Armenian descent who once owned Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He died in 2015 as the film was going into production.

“This was personal for him,” says Eric Esrailian, one of the film’s producers. “He always wanted to make an epic film with the best actors available that wouldn’t just be a history lesson.”

His vision wasn’t cheap. “The Promise,” co-written and directed by Terry George (“Hotel Rwanda”), cost nearly $100 million to make before tax breaks. Kerkorian provided all of the financing through Survival Pictures, a company he set up with Esrailian. The film, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, has yet to close a distribution deal. Esrailian thinks the subject matter may be scaring some buyers away.

There’s a reason for that fear. Officials in Turkey continue to deny that systematic killings of Armenians took place. “I’ll just say that there are some studios that have business interests in Turkey, and you can form your own opinion,” says Esrailian.

“I’ll just say that there are some studios that have business interests in Turkey, and you can form your own opinion.” ERIC ESRAILIAN

There were no public protests at the Toronto premiere, but there is already evidence of a propaganda campaign to discredit “The Promise.” The film’s IMDb page has received more than 86,000 user votes, the bulk of them one-star ratings, despite the fact that the movie has had only three public screenings. That’s more user reviews than appear for “Finding Dory,” the highest-grossing film of the year. The filmmakers say reaction on social platforms has been equally intense.

“The day after we screened the movie, 70,000 people went on IMDb and said they didn’t like the movie,” says Mike Medavoy, one of the film’s producers. “There’s no way that many people saw the movie after one screening. There aren’t that many seats in the theater. ”

“The Promise” centers on a love triangle involving a medical student (Isaac), a journalist (Bale), and the Armenian woman (Charlotte Le Bon) who steals their hearts. All three find themselves grappling with the Ottomans’ decision to begin rounding up and persecuting Armenians.

“Some critics blamed us for being old- fashioned,” says George. “But that’s what we set out to do. We wanted as wide an audience as possible.”

This isn’t the first attempt at a movie about the Armenian genocide. In the 1930s, MGM planned to adapt “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh,” Franz Werfel’s novel about the massacres and deportations of Armenians, starring Clark Gable. That production was abandoned after the Turkish government threatened to launch a worldwide campaign against it.

Studios may have a reason to be cautious. The film business is an increasingly globalized one, with major movies depending on foreign revenue to make a profit. When Hollywood has dramatized the genocide, the blowback has been fierce. Atom Egoyan has the scars to prove it: His 2002 film “Ararat,” which depicted a Hollywood director trying to make a film about the genocide, was the focus of a vast campaign targeting the film’s distributor, Miramax, and Disney, its parent at the time. The studio received so many negative emails that its website crashed.

Egoyan warns that the controversy is just starting. “It’s going to be a tough ride,” he says. “The denialist lobby is very well-organized.”

 

 



#23 Yervant1

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Posted 23 October 2016 - 11:30 AM

ERDOGAN PASHA…NEVER AGAIN: Cher’s impression of “The Promise” film about Armenian Genocide
OCTOBER 22, 11:25
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Cher, an American singer and actress of Armenian descent, have seen “The Promise” movie about Armenian Genocide in 1915 (film crew: Oscar-winning director Terry George, actors Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac,Charlotte Le Bon, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Angela Sarafyan).After watching the film Goddess of Pop has shared her impressions of the movie, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 11th of September.

“THIS NITE IVE SEEN“THE PROMISE“.IT IS THE TRUE STORY Of HOW THE TURKS SLAUGHTERED 1.5 MILLION ARMENIANS IN 1915.ERDOGAN PASHA…NEVER AGAIN,”- Chare wrote on her Twitter.

 

THIS NITE IVE SEEN“THE PROMISE“.IT IS THE TRUE STORY Of HOW THE TURKS SLAUGHTERED 1.5 MILLION ARMENIANS IN 1915.ERDOGAN PASHA…NEVER AGAIN203c.png

By the way, recently Variety has spoken to producers of the film and found out that “The Promise” has faced some difficulties since its premiere. The film has yet to close a distribution deal, as some studios have business interests in Turkey, which continues to deny the systematic killings and slaughter of Armenians.

A_S_P.png

There is another problem too – the evident propaganda campaign to discredit “The Promise.” The film’s IMDb page has received more than 86,000 user votes, the bulk of them one-star ratings, despite the fact that the movie has had only three public screenings.

http://style.news.am...n-genocide.html



#24 Yervant1

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Posted 25 October 2016 - 12:39 PM

News Busters
Oct 24 2016




Genocide Film Attacked With 55,105 One-Star Ratings After Only 3 Screenings

By Sarah Stites | October 24, 2016 | 11:20 AM EDT

It has been more than five weeks since The Promise debuted at the
Toronto Film Festival, but the independently financed historical
romance has yet to secure a distributor. Producer Eric Esrailian
believes the reason is Turkey’s strong genocide denialist lobby.

Hollywood has generally not shied away from portraying genocide
stories on film, but that rule has not applied to the 1915–1922
Armenian massacre. Because Turkey continues to deny its culpability
for the 1.5 million deaths that resulted from the conflict, any media
discussion of the historical period is often fraught with tension.

According to Variety film reporter Brent Lang, this controversy may
explain the reason that distributors have balked at picking up the
film which follows a love triangle set in the Ottoman Empire on the
brink of the genocide. “I’ll just say that there are some studios that
have business interests in Turkey, and you can form your own opinion,”
Esrailian told Lang.

The film’s producers also believe that the denialist lobby has skewed
ratings downward on IMDb – a database that allows viewers to evaluate
films. “The day after we screened the movie, 70,000 people went on
IMDb and said they didn’t like the movie,” explained co-producer Mike
Medavoy. “There’s no way that many people saw the movie after one
screening. There aren’t that many seats in the theater.”

Currently, after a total of only three screenings, the film has a
whopping 86,553 ratings (to put that in perspective, according to
Lang, 2016's highest grossing movie – Finding Dory – has only
72,833). Nearly 64% of those ratings are one-star. Just over 35% are
ten-star. It's clear to see that issues well beyond cinematographical
quibbles are at play.

Ararat, a 2002 genocide film that delved into the theme of denial,
faced similar backlash. Disney-owned Miramax distributed the movie,
but as a result, the entertainment company received thousands of
negative emails that ended up crashing its website.

According to Ararat writer/director Atom Egoyan, the effort to air and
discuss the events of 1915-1922 on film is going to be a “tough ride.”
As far as The Promise is concerned, it doesn’t help that President
Obama has neglected to keep his own promise to recognize the genocide.

https://urldefense.p...cqkBrTGPEWyY&e=
 



#25 Yervant1

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Posted 25 October 2016 - 12:45 PM

 
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Users of the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) are voting politically on The Promise without having seen it,The Independent writes.

The Terry George-directed film stars Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac and is set during the final days of the Ottoman Empire, leading up to the Armenian Genocide that killed 1.5 million.

Despite having been screened to the public three times only, The Promise now has 86,704 ratings on IMDb, 55,126 of which are one-star and 30,639 of which are 10-star, with very few ratings falling anywhere in between. The majority of votes come from males outside the US.

It is IMDb’s policy not to interfere with user ratings, but many have called for the database to step in following the tide of negative ratings.

According to the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), pro-Turkey Armenian Genocide deniers have begun efforts to undermine the film, urging negative reviews and ratings on popular movie sites including IMDB, where over 80,000 ratings have been logged, most from outside Canada – the only venue where the film has been shown.

Armenian American billionaire Kirk Kerkorian’s Armenian Genocide-era epic The Promise premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 11th to wide acclaim.

https://youtu.be/zwut1DUXaZc

http://www.independe...c-a7378881.html

http://www.armradio....lm-the-promise/



#26 Yervant1

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 03:46 PM

 Forbes
Nov 14 2016
 
 
Genocide Denial Goes Viral: 'The Promise' And The IMDB
 

Guest post written by Stefan Ihrig, an author and professor in history at the University of Haifa.

 

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(L-R) Actors Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon and Christian Bale attend the ‘The Promise’ premiere during the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

 

Writing this is dangerous: Speaking out on the Armenian Genocide means taking a huge risk. At the very least, it will be an exhausting experience, getting harassed online, trolled, threatened, down-rated on Amazon and publicly vilified. Until now, this was true mainly for individuals—academics, artists and activists. Now, it seems to apply to Hollywood movies, too. The Armenian Genocide remains one of the most controversial topics of 20th-century history and, even after its centennial, there is little reason to believe that controversy will come to an end and that some sort of consensus will come into being any time soon. Quite the opposite. Just in the last weeks, Turkey left the European Union’s cultural program in protest over a piece honoring the victims of the genocide by the Dresden Symphonic Orchestra which was sponsored by the program. Most recently, Turkey prevented a concert—again the very same piece—at the German Consulate in Istanbul. And now, we are in the middle of the next anti-Armenian campaign. This time its object is a Hollywood movie, The Promise, an epic focusing on the Armenian Genocide, starring amongst others Christian Bale. Yet, this time it might actually backfire and go another way.

All this has a long tradition. Eighty years ago the Turkish government forced Hollywood to drop a movie project based on The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, then a best-selling novel on the Armenian Genocide by German-language author, Jew and outspoken Hitler opponent Franz Werfel. The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, originally written as a warning against Hitler through the prism of the Armenian Genocide, never saw the silver screen. Such a movie could have also raised awareness of the fate of the Jews in Nazi Germany at the time and later of the ongoing Holocaust. It could have shaped the “narrative” of the struggle against Hitler. Many have since been interested to finally turn the novel into a major production, most recently, for example, Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone, but Turkish opposition and obstruction seemed insurmountable.

 

Much seemed to have changed in the last years, especially in the centennial last year. A whole barrage of new publications, academic and non-academic, add to recent milestone publications by the great historians of the Armenian Genocide, such as Raymond Kevorkian, Taner Akcam and Ronald Grigor Suny. Academic conferences were held all over the world. It was not without reason that, at all the conferences on the Armenian Genocide in Israel last year—at the Open University, at the Hebrew University, or at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute—participants and organizers made a point to talk about past efforts to put on a conference about the Armenian Genocide and how these had been thwarted by intervention of the Turkish government. Israel was a prized battleground in the conflict over acceptance and denial. Hollywood was and is another.

And while a lot has changed, a lot has stayed the same. One sure indicator is the lack of reviews these many new, well-written and well-researched books that appeared last year have received in the mainstream media outlets in the Western world. Furthermore, even a rudimentary survey of last year’s press coverage of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide shows that it were mainly authors of Armenian descent who spoke out for the Armenians and their story. Despite a series of resolutions by various European national parliament recognizing the Armenian Genocide, most of the public opinion-makers remain silent. This applies not only to journalists but also, for example, historians writing the big histories of the 20th century or World War I. It is thus not surprising that the press coverage of The Promise betrays the fact that the Armenian Genocide is still perceived as a “new” and relatively unknown topic to the public at large.

The Turkish government has constructed a very solid and relatively successful wall of enforced silence, blocking attempts not only to acknowledge, but even to discuss the topic through various forms of intimidation. Armenian Genocide denial must be counted as one of the most successful lobbying campaigns of the last 100 years when it comes to influencing our understanding of the past. Even if methods of intervention have changed, Turkish denialism is not a thing of the past. It is less often direct intervention by the government or the embassy, but rather a general atmosphere of intimidation, fear and enforced silence. One can only imagine what the threatened repercussions for media companies are—papers, networks and movie distributors—but we know that they exist and are very real. What is also real and tangible is the instant slandering, the bullying reflex of an amorphous body of Turkish nationalists and denialists who will use social media to attack people who speak out.

The Promise made it further than the past grand projects—mainly because it was independently financed. It is one of the most expensive independent movies ever. It has been actually made and seems to have made it. Well, almost: It still has to take a crucial hurdle. It still lacks distributors. And it is here that Turkish intimidation, threat of boycott and retaliation strikes. The movie was screened in September at the Toronto International Film Festival to rather small-sized audiences. Like any movie of note, it has its IMDB entry ready where you can find all the information on the movie and where people can rate the film from one star to ten. And here this movie, for all intents and purposes is not yet available to the public, has become something of an online sensation, or rather an online battlefield. Over the last weeks it has attracted over 91,000 votes, largely split between ten- and one-star votes. The majority, over 57,000, are one-star votes. This is an obvious campaign to downrate the movie which then triggered pro-Armenian voting. We are witnessing yet another anti-Armenian denialist campaign playing out abroad, far away from Turkey, in open, democratic societies. While it is not clear who is orchestrating the campaign, it has to be assumed that, as with other campaigns, connections go back to the Turkish government and/or nationalist groups.

This seems to be something new. Armenian Genocide denialism has gone through various phases of development in the last decades. It has now fully endorsed, it appears, post-modern lingo, and often one finds pieces talking simply about “stories” and “discourses” where in the past facts and archival documents reigned supreme. If this was the post-modern turn of Armenian Genocide denial, we are witnessing now the social media turn of the phenomenon. Denialism has entered the age of Twitter and online mob-rule. And, unfortunately, quite successfully so.

But what do over 91,000 votes on IMDB really tell us? Who votes when, how many actual people are behind it, and thus how representative is it? And for what exactly? Just as Trump’s presidential campaign can tell us a lot about the future of politics—say, for example, about the role of online bullying, social media message policy, and mobilizing hardcore supporters—so the IMDB hype surrounding the The Promise can tell us something about highly fragmented and mobilizable societies as well as, in many ways, radical groups mainly existing as such groups only in the universe of social media (for now). Until we understand this better and are more careful in falling into the traps of social media polls, likes and reviews, more than 91,000 votes make for fine advertisement and should help the movie secure good distribution so that we, and all those over 32,000 who voted for it, can actually see the movie. Few movies have ever experienced such a pre-release buzz on IMDB. That much is clear. Thank you, denialists.

http://www.forbes.co...b/#7ee698323ca7



#27 Yervant1

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Posted 10 December 2016 - 12:11 PM

The Wrap
Dec 9 2016
 
 
Oscar Isaac Armenian Genocide Film ‘The Promise’ Goes to Open Road
Terry George historical romance will hit theaters on April 28
Matt Pressberg | December 9, 2016
 

Open Road Films has acquired the U.S. rights for “The Promise,” a Terry George love story set during the Armenian genocide, TheWrap has learned. The movie will come out on April 28, 2017.

“The Force Awakens” star Oscar Isaac headlines the film, playing Michael Boghosian, an ethnic Armenian medical student living and studying in Constantinople. Christian Bale plays Chris Myers, a photojournalist in love with Armenian artist Ana (Charlotte Le Bon). The two men form a romantic rivalry over Ana, but as the Ottoman Empire aligns with Germany and starts cracking down on minorities, they have to work together to survive.

 

“The Promise” also features Shohreh Aghdashloo, Angela Sarafyan, Jean Reno, James Cromwell, Daniel Gimenez Cacho and Marwan Kenzari. It was produced by Eric Esrailian, Mike Medavoy and William Horberg.

 

Also Read:'The Promise': Oscar Isaac Brings a Human Face to the Armenian Genocide

 

 

“We are proud to add this prestigious film to our 2017 slate,” Open Road President Tom Ortenberg said in a statement. “An epic love story set against a turning point in world history, ‘The Promise’ features top notch performances and first class filmmaking and we are looking forward to sharing the movie with audiences across the country.”

The deal was negotiated on behalf of Open Road Films by Ortenberg, Elliott Kleinberg, the studio’s chief operating officer and general counsel, and SVP of acquisitions Lejo Pet.

 

WME and David Boyle handled the negotiations on behalf of Survival Pictures.

http://www.thewrap.c...goes-open-road/


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#28 Yervant1

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Posted 09 February 2017 - 10:59 AM

The fake machine is at it again!!!!!

 

 
Turkish Propaganda Film ‘The Ottoman Lieutenant’ Made to Repudiate ‘The Promise’
08/02/17
 
TheOttomanLieutenantRepudiatesThePromise

The Ottoman Lieutenant (bottom) repudiates The Promise

BY BÉRJ BERAMIAN

There are clear indications that the The Ottoman Lieutenant (TOL) movie was made by a Turkish production company to repudiate The Promise (TP), financed by Kirk Kerkorian. My assertions below are based on research available on the internet and IMDB.com. Both films tell a love story that takes place during the Ottoman Empire. However, The Ottoman Lieutenant sets the story under the guise of World War I as a means to justify the atrocities suffered by Armenians as a consequence of war, while The Promise sets the story during the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Turks during World War I.

When a release date of December 2016 was announced for The Promise, the makers of The Ottoman Lieutenant also posted a release date of December 2016 on IMDB.com for consideration of an Oscar nomination – a wishful goal. Since the producers of The Promise announced release of the picture on April 21, 2017, the producers of TOL changed their release date to March 10, 2017 on IMDB.com. It is clear that the producers of The Ottoman Lieutenant are trying to confuse American audiences with their story by releasing their film before The Promise. Furthermore, they want to monetize not only from an American audience but also from the Armenian diaspora.

There is an even more interesting observation to be made with both movie posters: Even though the fonts of each movie title are slightly different, both are capitalized in a yellowish-gold hue against a black background. It is clear the producers of The Ottoman Lieutenant are trying to confuse American audiences by making a poster that resembles the poster of The Promise.

It is also surprisingly “coincidental” how The Ottoman Lieutenant uses the love genre like The Promise to captivate a larger audience base. In The Promise, the love interest of an Armenian woman is a love triangle between an American journalist, Ana, and an Armenian medical student, while in The Ottoman Lieutenant, the love interest of an American woman is with the perceived enemy, a lieutenant in the Ottoman Army. It seems that The Ottoman Lieutenant is trying to seduce American audiences with a fictional story about love between an American and an Ottoman Turk.

Strangely enough, the story line of The Ottoman Lieutenant on IMDB ends with this sentence, “Now, with invading army forces at their doorstep, and the world about to plunge into all-out war, she must make a decision if she wants to be what other people want her to be, or to be herself.” One can interpret a clear message in the last sentence that suggests Americans should make their own decisions about whether to believe or deny the historical events that took place during a time of war, when the Ottoman Turks committed the Armenian Genocide.

Even more creepy is the website of the production company, Eastern Sunrise Films (www.easternsunrisefilms.com), a Turkish owned production company which made The Ottoman Lieutenant in partnership with Y Production. First of all, there is a spelling mistake in their second heading. They say they write about stories that come from history and how they watch them: “We are close followers of all of them.” This production company was clearly established to make propaganda films to enforce the denial of the Armenian Genocide. If you follow their contact link, they claim they have offices in Newport Beach and Istanbul. Further investigation of the company revealed that it was incorporated in California on October 26, 2015.

It seems that the Turkish government’s propaganda of denying the Armenian Genocide reaches far beyond its borders and into the realms of cinema. Armenians should be more strategic with presenting subjects based on the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide to a global audience. Even though the producers of the The Promise made great effort not to disclose the making of the movie, it seems the Turkish government was right on their coattail for the ride. There is even a posting on the movie’s Facebook page that claims “‘The Ottoman Lieutenant’ is an upcoming American motion picture that brings together two of Turkey’s most legendary actors, Haluk Bilginer and Selçuk Yöntem.” Another article claims CAA negotiated the domestic distribution deal Paladin.

http://asbarez.com/1...te-the-promise/

 

 



#29 Yervant1

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Posted 23 February 2017 - 04:23 PM

Elton John to Introduce Armenian Genocide Film ‘The Promise’ at Oscars Viewing Party

By Contributor on February 22, 2017 in HeadlineNewNews // 0 Comments // email_famfamfam.png // printer_famfamfam.gif

The Elton John AIDS Foundation to Host Special Viewing/Awareness/Fundraising Venture at its 25th Oscar-Night Party

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF)’s 25th annual Academy Awards Viewing Party will held on Feb. 26, at West Hollywood Park, during which Sir Elton John and David Furnish will introduce Open Road and Survival Pictures new film The Promise, which tells the story of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey at the outset of WWI.  Written by Terry George and Robin Swicord and directed by Terry George (Hotel Rwanda), The Promise stars Oscar Issac, Christian Bale, and Charlotte Le Bon.

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The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) thanked Elton John for his initiative in a Facebook post (Photo: ANCA/Facebook)

“We have only to look at the horrific HIV/AIDS outbreak that followed in the wake of the Rwandan genocide in the mid-1990’s to understand the direct connection between human rights atrocities and public health crises like the AIDS epidemic,” said EJAF founder Elton John. “Through our friendships with the Manoukian family and producer Dr. Eric Esrailian from UCLA, David and I became more personally aware of the Armenian Genocide and its timely relevance to social issues today. The film’s theme #KeepThePromise can be interpreted as keeping the promise to remember and learn from the atrocities of the past, as well as keeping the promise to end AIDS.  At EJAF, we are committed to #KeepThePromise and raise awareness about this powerful film that uses classic storytelling to inspire people to take action today.  We are honored to share the important timing of our Oscar-night event to introduce people to The Promise.”

In addition to sharing EJAF’s vision for championing human rights, The Promise team at Survival Pictures has taken the unprecedented step of making the commitment to donate all proceeds from the film to nonprofit organizations including EJAF and other human rights and humanitarian groups.  As part of this commitment and to inspire party guests to give generously, Survival Pictures will match the pledges guests make to EJAF via text and live auction purchases made during EJAF’s Academy Awards Viewing Party with the goal of making this a record-setting evening.

“Such giving has never happened with a film of this scale, we wanted the world to know about it, and we are incredibly grateful,” said EJAF chair David Furnish. “We are honored to announce this generosity, thanks to the late philanthropist and humanitarian Kirk Kerkorian, on the eve of EJAF’s 25th annual Academy Awards Viewing Party.  Not only is The Promise committing to support EJAF’s work, but matching funds will be provided to inspire donors even more throughout the event and live auction.”

Survival Pictures has also developed a social impact campaign for The Promise to help educate the global public about the genocides and mass atrocities of the 20th and 21st centuries, the discussion about the legal definition of genocide, and historical denialism.  The impact campaign will inform and inspire people to take action so they become part of the anti-genocide movement led by human rights organizations like EJAF as well as change-makers dedicated to ending crimes against humanity and bringing perpetrators to justice.

The film sets a love story in the midst of the growing unrest in 1914 Turkey leading up to the horrors of the Armenian Genocide.  As the Great War looms, the mighty Ottoman Empire is crumbling. Constantinople, the once vibrant, multicultural capital on the shores of the Bosporus, is about to be consumed by chaos. Michael Boghosian (Oscar Isaac), arrives in the cosmopolitan hub as a medical student determined to bring modern medicine back to Siroun, his ancestral village in Southern Turkey where Turkish Muslims and Armenian Christians have lived side by side for centuries. Photo-journalist Chris Myers (Christian Bale), has come here only partly to cover geo-politics. He is mesmerized by his love for Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), an Armenian artist he has accompanied from Paris after the sudden death of her father. When Michael meets Ana, their shared Armenian heritage sparks an attraction that explodes into a romantic rivalry between the two men. As the Turks form an alliance with Germany and the Empire turns violently against its own ethnic minorities, their conflicting passions must be deferred while they join forces to survive even as events threaten to overwhelm them. Promises are made and promises are broken. The one promise that must be kept is to live on and tell the story.

“The Armenian Genocide must, of course, never be forgotten and should be recognized, but our current headlines show that the same patterns of human rights violations are being replicated in too many parts of the world today,” said producer Dr. Eric Esrailian. “We are honored to have the support of Elton, David, and the entire EJAF family, and by joining forces, we can help the people in the world who need assistance right now.”

http://armenianweekl...n-john-promise/



#30 Yervant1

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Posted 23 February 2017 - 04:44 PM

WENN Entertainment News Wire Service
February 22, 2017 Wednesday 8:02 PM GMT


PROCEEDS FROM THE PROMISE TO BE DONATED TO ELTON JOHN'S AIDS FOUNDATION



Proceeds from new film THE PROMISE will be donated to organisations
benefiting humanitarian causes, including the ELTON JOHN AIDS
Foundation.

The movie, starring Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, and Christian Bale,
centres on a love triangle set against the backdrop of the Armenian
genocide.

Sir Elton and his husband David Furnish will host a viewing during his
Academy Awards afterparty on Sunday (26Feb17), when guests will be
able to pledge to the EJAF. John and Furnish will also hold live
auctions and producer Eric Esrailian will match the money raised.

"Through our friendship... with producer Dr. Eric Esrailian... David
and I became more personally aware of the Armenian Genocide and its
timely relevance to social issues today," Elton says. "The film's
theme #KeepThePromise can be interpreted as keeping the promise to
remember and learn from the atrocities of the past, as well as keeping
the promise to end AIDS.

"At EJAF, we are committed to #KeepThePromise and raise awareness
about this powerful film that uses classic storytelling to inspire
people to take action today. We are honoured to share the important
timing of our Oscar-night event to introduce people to The Promise."

"Such giving has never happened with a film of this scale. We wanted
the world to know about it, and we are incredibly grateful," Furnish
adds.

The movie's release will coincide with the commemoration of the
Armenian genocide in April (17).



#31 Yervant1

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Posted 23 February 2017 - 04:46 PM

Hollywood Reporter
February 22, 2017 Wednesday
 
 
'The Promise' Film Proceeds to Be Donated to Nonprofits

6:55 AM PST 2/22/2017 

                by Ashley Lee

promise_01-h_2016.jpg
Courtesy of TIFF
Oscar Isaac in 'The Promise'
 
Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale star in Terry George's drama, which recounts the Armenian Genocide in Turkey at the outset of World War I.

Survival Pictures is making a promise: to donate all proceeds from the theatrical run of The Promise to nonprofit organizations, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation and other human rights and humanitarian groups.

Terry George's historical drama — starring Oscar Isaac, Christian Bale and Charlotte Le Bon — tells the story of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey at the outset of World War I. Open Road will release the film April 21.

Survival Pictures will also launch a social impact campaign to help educate the global public about the genocides and mass atrocities of the 20th and 21st centuries, the discussion about the legal definition of genocide and historical denialism.

 

 

Sir Elton John and David Furnish will introduce the movie at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 25th annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on Sunday. Survival Pictures will also match the pledges that guests make to EJAF throughout the evening.

“We have only to look at the horrific HIV/AIDS outbreak that followed in the wake of the Rwandan genocide in the mid-1990s to understand the direct connection between human rights atrocities and public health crises like the AIDS epidemic,” said John. “Through our friendships with the Manoukian family and producer Dr. Eric Esrailian from UCLA, David and I became more personally aware of the Armenian Genocide and its timely relevance to social issues today. The film’s theme #KeepThePromise can be interpreted as keeping the promise to remember and learn from the atrocities of the past, as well as keeping the promise to end AIDS. At EJAF, we are committed to #KeepThePromise and raise awareness about this powerful film that uses classic storytelling to inspire people to take action today."

http://www.hollywood...nprofits-978409



#32 Yervant1

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Posted 28 February 2017 - 11:52 AM

Elton John presents Armenian Genocide film “The Promise” at Oscar party
Elton-John-David-Furnish-620x300.jpg
 

Elton John and EJAF chairman David Furnish introduced “The Promise” at West Hollywood Park during an Oscar commercial break, The Verge reported.

The 25th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) Academy Awards viewing party, hosted by Elton John and David Furnish at West Hollywood Park, raised $7 million to help end HIV/AIDS. To no one’s surprise, the yearly event proved to be one of the most star-studded soirées of the night, E!Onlie reported.

All donations on the night were matched dollar-for-dollar by Survival Pictures’ upcoming feature “The Promise” (Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac) which tells the story of the Armenian Genocide at the outset of World War I, accrding to The Wrap.

Terry George (“Hotel Rwanda”) directs, and was on hand to address the audience. With the film fully financed by the late businessman Kirk Kerkorian, all producer proceeds from the first dollar will be donated to organizations including the EJAF. Open Road releases the film next month.

“Proud to introduce Open Road Films and Survival Pictures’ new film “The Promise” at #EJAF25#KeepthePromise Survival Pictures will also be matching guest pledges made to EJAF via text & live auction purchases during our Academy Awards Viewing Party. Written by Terry George and Robin Swicord and directed by Terry George (Hotel Rwanda), The Promise stars Oscar Issac, Christian Bale, and Charlotte Le Bon,” reads a post on the EJAF Facebook page.

http://www.armradio....at-oscar-party/



#33 Yervant1

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Posted 03 March 2017 - 10:56 AM


pngaG1FzCbszl.png

Open Road Films has released a trailer for “The Promise,” director Terry George’s romantic epic set during the Armenian Genocide.

Empires fall, love survives. When Michael (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant medical student, meets Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), their shared Armenian heritage sparks an attraction that explodes into a romantic rivalry between Michael and Ana’s boyfriend Chris (Christian Bale), a famous American photojournalist dedicated to exposing political truth.

As the Ottoman Empire crumbles into war-torn chaos, their conflicting passions must be deferred while they join forces to get their people to safety and survive themselves. The Promise is directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Terry George.

The Promise hits theaters April 21.

https://youtu.be/gnwgMYeaqr4

http://www.armradio....ts-new-trailer/



#34 Yervant1

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Posted 08 March 2017 - 09:45 AM

 

The fake machine is at it again!!!!!

 

Turkish Propaganda Film ‘The Ottoman Lieutenant’ Made to Repudiate ‘The Promise’
08/02/17
 
TheOttomanLieutenantRepudiatesThePromise

The Ottoman Lieutenant (bottom) repudiates The Promise

BY BÉRJ BERAMIAN

There are clear indications that the The Ottoman Lieutenant (TOL) movie was made by a Turkish production company to repudiate The Promise (TP), financed by Kirk Kerkorian. My assertions below are based on research available on the internet and IMDB.com. Both films tell a love story that takes place during the Ottoman Empire. However, The Ottoman Lieutenant sets the story under the guise of World War I as a means to justify the atrocities suffered by Armenians as a consequence of war, while The Promise sets the story during the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Turks during World War I.

When a release date of December 2016 was announced for The Promise, the makers of The Ottoman Lieutenant also posted a release date of December 2016 on IMDB.com for consideration of an Oscar nomination – a wishful goal. Since the producers of The Promise announced release of the picture on April 21, 2017, the producers of TOL changed their release date to March 10, 2017 on IMDB.com. It is clear that the producers of The Ottoman Lieutenant are trying to confuse American audiences with their story by releasing their film before The Promise. Furthermore, they want to monetize not only from an American audience but also from the Armenian diaspora.

There is an even more interesting observation to be made with both movie posters: Even though the fonts of each movie title are slightly different, both are capitalized in a yellowish-gold hue against a black background. It is clear the producers of The Ottoman Lieutenant are trying to confuse American audiences by making a poster that resembles the poster of The Promise.

It is also surprisingly “coincidental” how The Ottoman Lieutenant uses the love genre like The Promise to captivate a larger audience base. In The Promise, the love interest of an Armenian woman is a love triangle between an American journalist, Ana, and an Armenian medical student, while in The Ottoman Lieutenant, the love interest of an American woman is with the perceived enemy, a lieutenant in the Ottoman Army. It seems that The Ottoman Lieutenant is trying to seduce American audiences with a fictional story about love between an American and an Ottoman Turk.

Strangely enough, the story line of The Ottoman Lieutenant on IMDB ends with this sentence, “Now, with invading army forces at their doorstep, and the world about to plunge into all-out war, she must make a decision if she wants to be what other people want her to be, or to be herself.” One can interpret a clear message in the last sentence that suggests Americans should make their own decisions about whether to believe or deny the historical events that took place during a time of war, when the Ottoman Turks committed the Armenian Genocide.

Even more creepy is the website of the production company, Eastern Sunrise Films (www.easternsunrisefilms.com), a Turkish owned production company which made The Ottoman Lieutenant in partnership with Y Production. First of all, there is a spelling mistake in their second heading. They say they write about stories that come from history and how they watch them: “We are close followers of all of them.” This production company was clearly established to make propaganda films to enforce the denial of the Armenian Genocide. If you follow their contact link, they claim they have offices in Newport Beach and Istanbul. Further investigation of the company revealed that it was incorporated in California on October 26, 2015.

It seems that the Turkish government’s propaganda of denying the Armenian Genocide reaches far beyond its borders and into the realms of cinema. Armenians should be more strategic with presenting subjects based on the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide to a global audience. Even though the producers of the The Promise made great effort not to disclose the making of the movie, it seems the Turkish government was right on their coattail for the ride. There is even a posting on the movie’s Facebook page that claims “‘The Ottoman Lieutenant’ is an upcoming American motion picture that brings together two of Turkey’s most legendary actors, Haluk Bilginer and Selçuk Yöntem.” Another article claims CAA negotiated the domestic distribution deal Paladin.

AYF Statement on Turkish Propaganda Film

  • 07/03/17
 
ArmenianYouthFederationLogo.jpg

Armenian Youth Federation–Western Region logo

We write to inform our community about the film The Ottoman Lieutenant, a primarily Turkish-funded production that perpetuates denial of the Armenian Genocide under the guise of neutrality. We urge you to refrain from watching this film in theaters or supporting it in any way, but we do feel it is important for our community to be aware of the fact that genocide denial is present and still a major issue, even outside of the Republic of Turkey.

The Ottoman Lieutenant, starring Michiel Huisman, Hera Hilmar, Josh Hartnett, and Ben Kingsley, pretends to be an “objective” love story set in Ottoman Turkey during World War I, but in reality, the movie furthers the currentRepublic of Turkey’s campaign of genocide denial through feel-good historical revisionism. It portrays the Armenian Genocide as a ‘two-sided’ conflict of equal suffering in the fog of war. At face value, this may signal a willingness to discuss the Armenian Genocide. However, this is a new chapter in the classic state-sponsored genocide denial which seeks to recast the narrative as two-sided suffering.

While one character in this film stated that measures were taken to stamp out the Armenian “rebels” who sided with the Russians against the Ottoman Empire, another character acknowledged that there was, in fact, a campaign to rid Anatolia of its Christian population. It seems the writers of this film aimed to take a neutral stance on the issue, attempting to represent multiple viewpoints. But let this be clear: it is not possible to be neutral on the issue of genocide, and attempting to do so merely supports the modern propaganda of the Turkish government.

A producer of the film is quoted almost verbatim repeating the contemporary Turkish state’s language of genocide denial in a Turkish daily newspaper saying, “As objective and respected to common sufferings of both Turks and Armenians, we wanted to show the audience what happened during World War I in Eastern Anatolia, a subject that has not been handled before.”

While Turks were inherently affected by the state of war in the region — along with all civilians of the Ottoman Empire — their suffering cannot be equated with the systematic massacres and campaign of extermination suffered by the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks living on those lands.

Thankfully, some objective viewers of this film were able to see through the veil of neutrality and soft propaganda it attempts to push. Film critic Dennis Harvey, in a review featured on Variety.com, states, “Violent tensions between Armenian Christians and Turkish Muslims are already beginning to impact this remote area, soon to be exacerbated by the outbreak of WWI. But in this primarily Turkish-funded production, the historical, political, ethnic and other intricacies — not to mention that perpetual elephant in the room, the Armenian Genocide, which commenced in 1915 — are glossed over in favor of a generalized ‘Whattaya gonna do… war is bad’ aura that implies conscience without actually saying anything.”

We cannot stress enough that going to see this film in theaters will only give it support and undeserved positive attention in the long-run. In the coming days, the AYF will be writing letters to theaters and campuses hosting screenings to educate them about our concerns with this film. We recommend others join us, and we are ready to provide resources and language translations for individuals who wish to do so.

Take the creation of this film as a reality-check. Denial is real and is present, and it is now being pushed in new and subtle ways through avenues one would not expect. The Turkish narrative and strategy of evading reparations has changed multiple times in the last 102 years, and has included everything from claiming Armenians committed genocide against the Turks, to minimizing the severity and describing it with words like “civil war” and “common pain.” We must always remain vigilant, and should never tolerate any form of denial no matter how mild or well-disguised it may be. The softer form of denial this film perpetuates is the most dangerous form of all, and it often goes unnoticed.

Founded in 1933 with organizational structures in over 17 regions around the world and a legacy of over eighty years of community involvement, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the world, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian youth.

http://asbarez.com/1...ropaganda-film/


Edited by Yervant1, 08 March 2017 - 09:46 AM.


#35 Yervant1

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Posted 11 March 2017 - 09:34 AM

Ottoman-Lieutenant.jpg
 
Chicago Sun Times: Poorly Acted ‘Ottoman Lieutenant’ Also Glosses Over Genocide
March 10, 2017

Richard Roeper
chicago.suntimes.com

The most objectionable thing about “The Ottoman Lieutenant” isn’t the flat acting or the cliché of a wartime romance triangle or the cheap and schmaltzy score.

It’s the revisionist history of the Armenian Genocide.

Set mostly in and around the Anatolia region of Turkey during World War I, “The Ottoman Lieutenant” almost completely glosses over the Empire’s systematic elimination of some 1.5 million Armenians, including women, children, the elderly and the infirm — an epic-scale atrocity the Turkish government denies to this day.

“The Russian invasion was upon us,” says the heroic nurse Lillie (Hera Hilmar), who narrates the story in a dreadful, monotone delivery.
“Some Armenian rebels joined the Russian forces to fight the Ottoman Army and all hell was breaking loose. … The rounding up of Armenian children and the elderly had begun.”

And after the “rounding up” came the death marches, the forced starvation, the rape — and the massacres. There’s barely a passing reference to any of that in this film.

The Icelandic actress Hera Hilmar affects a terrible American accent and gives a dull performance as Lillie, a fiercely independent free spirit from Philadelphia who sets out for Istanbul circa 1914 to provide medical supplies and lend her nursing skills to the local hospital.

Michiel Huisman (“Game of Thrones”) is the handsome and noble Lt. Ismail Veli, who at first regards Lillie disdainfully but quickly grows fond of her and then of course falls deeply in love with her. Josh Hartnett is the Christian missionary, Dr. Gresham, who skips over the “disdain” part for Lillie and quickly moves from affection to also falling for her.

And then there’s Sir Ben Kingsley, playing the founder of the hospital, who when introduced to Lillie bellows, “This is no place for a woman!” — but quickly becomes a father figure for her. Kingsley looks so bored with the proceedings one can almost see the paycheck in the pocket of his costume.

“The Ottoman Lieutenant” has legitimate production values and some powerful visuals. (Lillie’s voice-overs are accompanied by black-and-white stills that lend a verite touch.) A couple of action sequences are well staged.

That’s about it for the plus side.

At one point the not-so-good doctor sees Lillie just after she’s been with Lt. Veli. He holds her face in his hands, then recoils in horror and says, “My God, I can smell him!”

Yes, and we can smell the rancid coats of paint on this attempt to whitewash history.

https://massispost.c...osses-genocide/



#36 Yervant1

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Posted 12 March 2017 - 11:42 AM

Flick Filosopher
March 10 2017
 
 
The Ottoman Lieutenant movie review: erasing the past with sleight of cinematic hand

 

 

Fri Mar 10 2017, 06:34pm | 3 comments

ottomanlieutenant.jpg

MaryAnn’s quick take…
Odious propagandistic attempt to enshrine Turkish denial of the Armenian genocide of World War I into cinematic history via a tepid and unconvincing romance.
 
In a land on the brink of war,” goes the marketing tagline of the odious The Ottoman Lieutenant, “the most dangerous place to be is in love.” That would not be true in, shall we say, the best of wars, if there is such a thing. But here, young American nurse Lillie (Hera Hilmar: Anna Karenina), volunteering at a hospital in a remote region of the Ottoman Empire, finds herself in the middle of World War I and the genocide of Armenians by the Turks. Except the latter is not happening here at all! This propagandistic production, financed primarily from Turkey — the government of which has a longstanding policy of denying that any genocide upon Armenians was ever committed — would like us to believe that 1.5 million Armenians were not exterminated with deliberate precision by the Ottoman Empire, but that it was just war and, you know, people die. *shrug*
ottomanhandshake.jpg

“So we agree that she’s cute enough to distract everyone from genocide? Good!”tinytwitter.png

If only the most offensive aspect of this movie were the tepid, unconvincing romancetinytwitter.png between Lillie and Ottoman Imperial Army lieutenant Ismail (Michiel Huisman: The InvitationThe Age of Adaline)! Or the male entitlement displayed by the American doctor (Josh Hartnett: 30 Days of NightResurrecting the Champ) who runs the hospital she’s volunteering at, who gets angry that she didn’t fall in love with him instead, as would have been right and proper. Instead, we have the disgusting spectacle of noble, oh-so noble Ismail expressing horror at the slaughter of an Armenian village — it wasn’t Ottoman soldiers who did this, one traumatized village woman assures him, nosiree — and rescuing innocent Armenians being shot by nasty slovenly lowly rogue soldiers, bad apples all. Oh, the price this fine upstanding example of Ottoman soldiery will pay for standing up for the good Armenian people! What garbage.

“I thought I was going to change the world,” Lillie narrates at us as the film opens, “but of course the world changed me.” This is a movie that is trying to change the past by erasing it,tinytwitter.png by enshrining “alternative facts” into cinematic history, and by distracting you from its denial with a nice white lady falling in love with a handsome and honorable soldier. This is a denial of genocide close to a par of that which denies WWII’s Holocaust of the Jews, and everyone involved in this production — including also Ben Kingsley (The Jungle BookThe Walk) in the cast, director Joseph Ruben (The ForgottenReturn to Paradise), and screenwriter Jeff Stockwell (Bridge to Terabithia) — should be ashamed of themselves for abetting it.

http://www.flickfilo...matic-hand.html



#37 Yervant1

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Posted 14 March 2017 - 11:17 AM

Greek Group Joins AYF In Calling for Boycott of Pro-Turkish Film
  • 13/03/17
 
greekgroup.jpg

A screenshot of the American Hellenic Council’s letter send Monday urging a boycott of “The Ottoman Lieutenant”

CULVER CITY, Calif.–The American Hellenic Council on Monday released a statement urging the Greek American community and all descendants of the Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian Genocide, to boycott the new Turkish-produced film “The Ottoman Lieutenant,” expressing the AHC’s solidarity with the Armenian Youth Federation Western United States, which issued a similar call last week.

“The film is a blatant attempt to repudiate the upcoming movie, The Promise, and mislead impressionable youth into believing the Genocide was a ‘two-sided’ event, reads a part of the statement.

AHC Executive Director Ioannis Fidanakis, who signed the statement, asks the Greek community to join “an AYF-initiated letter writing campaign to local theaters to educate them about the purpose of the film.”

Below is the text of the AHC’s statement.

Dear Supporter,
We, the American Hellenic Council (AHC), in solidarity with the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Western United States, urge the Greek-American community, as well all descendants of the Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian Genocide, to jointly boycott the recently released film, The Ottoman Lieutenant.

The movie, which was produced by a Turkish production company, was released on March 10 and stars Michiel Huisman, Hera Hilmar, Josh Hartnett, and Ben Kingsley, is set in Ittihadist Turkey at the time of the Genocide. The film is a blatant attempt to repudiate the upcoming movie, The Promise, and mislead impressionable youth into believing the Genocide was a “two-sided” event.

Although we at the AHC, acknowledge that Ottoman Turks were affected by the state of war throughout the Empire, like all Ottoman citizens, their suffering cannot be equated with a systematic campaign of extermination, which befell the native Greek, Armenian, and Assyrian peoples of Eastern Thrace and Anatolia.

Therefore, we ask the Greek-American community to refrain from paying to watch this film in theaters or supporting it in any way. Those interested in joining an AYF-initiated letter writing campaign to local theaters to educate them about the purpose of this film should contact us at ioannis@americanhellenic.org.

Sincerely,
Ioannis Fidanakis
Executive Director
American Hellenic Council

http://asbarez.com/1...o-turkish-film/



#38 Yervant1

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Posted 17 March 2017 - 10:40 AM

Please everyone try to go and see the movie in theaters, we need to encourage this film!

 

 
Christian Bale, Chris Cornell and Serj Tankian to attend premiere of The Promise
The-Promise-1-620x300.png
 

Christian Bale, Chris Cornell, Serj Tankian, Angela Sarafyan and filmmaker Terry George will attend the premiere of the Armenian genocide-themed film The Promise.

Inspired by true events, The Promise tells the important story of the Armenian genocide and a struggle for love in a time of turmoil. This is the first wide-release film about a tragic history, featuring a critically acclaimed cast and director, and you’ll be there to experience the premiere in true Hollywood style.

The film hits theatres on April 21.

http://www.armradio....of-the-promise/

 

 



#39 Yervant1

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Posted 23 March 2017 - 09:33 AM

Capitol Hill viewing of “The Promise” draws capacity Congressional audience
ThePromise_CapitolHill_Screening_qa-620x
 
A special Capitol Hill viewing of “The Promise” – the Armenian Genocide-era epic starring Christian Bale set for nationwide release on April 21st – drew a capacity crowd of Members of Congress, senior Congressional aides, coalition partners, and a broad cross-section of the Washington, DC foreign policy community, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
 
 
The viewing, hosted by Survival Pictures, Open Road Films, the Congressional Armenian Caucus and the ANCA, featured introductions by legislators and a question and answer session with Oscar Award winning director Terry George and producer Eric Esrailian. Among the Members of Congress participating in the program included Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Jackie Speier (D-CA), David Trott (R-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-CA), and Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), and Paul Tonko (D-NY).  Elected officials were joined by Republic of Armenia Ambassador Grigor Hovhannissian, Republic of Artsakh Representative to the U.S. Robert Avetisyan, and former U.S. Ambassadors to Armenia John Evans and Michael Lemmon.
 
 
“The Promise is pushing America to a tipping point – the watershed moment at which U.S. leaders finally, and fully, reject the shameful veto that Turkey has, for far too long, exercised against honest American condemnation and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.
 
 
“We want to offer our special thanks to the Armenian Caucus for co-hosting tonight’s program, and for their leadership in introducing bipartisan legislation that aims to apply the lessons of the Armenian Genocide in preventing future atrocities, for collecting signatures on a Congressional letter asking the President to properly commemorate this crime, and, of course, for hosting the annual Capitol Hill observance this April 5th.”
 
 
Complete coverage of the event, including the Congressional remarks and the question and answer session with Director Terry George and Producer Eric Esrailian to follow.
 
 
Terry George and Eric Esrailian are taking part in a two day series of Congressional meetings to discuss their film, support Armenian Genocide recognition, and explore ways that the arts and advocacy community can contribute to ending the worldwide cycle of genocide.
 


#40 Yervant1

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Posted 29 March 2017 - 09:39 AM

‘Why every American should see The Promise’ - The Huffington Post 
 
pngjdWFWBqlmV.png
12:58, 29 March, 2017 
 
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. As more and more people learn about The Promise film, they will also uncover and learn about the tragic events that transpired in Turkey in 1915, Christopher Atamian and Haykaram Nahapetyan published an article in The Huffington Post, by trying to present why every American should see the Armenian Genocide themed movie. 
 
The authors says in 1915-1923 the Ottoman government slaughtered 3 million innocent Christians living within its borders, including 1,5 million Armenians. But till now Turks continue denying what had happened, stating that it was simply “a deportation of treacherous Armenians”. 
 
Although previously there had been attempts to shot a film on the Armenian Genocide, such as the film based on Franz Werfel’s best-selling novel “The 40 Days of Musa Dagh”, however it was stopped by the interference of the Turkish side. 
 
Fast-forward some eighty years later to 2015 and the release of the $100 million blockbuster film “The Promise,” financed entirely by the late Armenian-American billionaire Kirk Kerkorian. 
 
“In Turkey, for example, it is still an insult to call a someone an Armenian. As one American who works in a large Turkish conglomerate recently explained: “Very few people in Turkey really care about people who are not ethnically Turkish.... And most Turks don’t give a fig about democracy. They know full well what happened to the Armenians in 1915 and they simply don’t care. You have to stop comparing Turkey to Western countries where civil society and governments consider human rights and tolerance as positive values. In Turkey these things are often seen as signs of weakness.” ‘What can one do to fight state-sponsored denialism, and how can one help to affect change? In solidarity with the victims of all genocides—Armenians included—and in support of basic human rights and dignity, every American should go out and see The Promise when it is released on April 21st”, the authors write. 
 
They call on their friends and colleagues to watch the film online, with a hope that this time the Turkish attempts to deny the Armenian Genocide will go down in unceremonious flames. 
 





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