119 replies to this topic

[Ashot]

Description: When Rome of the West crumbled and Rome of the East rose to power, it was challenged by Persia for lands and riches of the Middle East. Their wars and intrigues shaped the course of events till the present day, in places like Iraq, and the Caucasus.
Yet, the course of history was to be decided by exiles, fugitive princes caught between the two great superpowers, in search of a new world for their people.

In the Middle of the Fifth Century after the Birth of Christ, at the Edge of Rome, a general led his outnumbered men against a mighty Persian army. His rebellion was the first war of freedom waged by a Christian nation in history, and he and his descendants would force the Persians to grant the first known treaty of tolerance by an Empire to a state.
The path to this great stand, however, would begin 150 years before, walked by a warrior from a far-off land, a Fugitive Prince whose life is the stuff of Legend. His journey would bring him into the midst of a world in upheaval of war, and rebirth, and into the lives of exiles and conquerors, carving out a kingdom in the midst of great empires.
At the crossroads of faith and culture, at the end of one world and the birth of Byzantium, comes the story of Fugitives and Warriors.

East of Byzantium: Fugitives and Warriors is the first solid step towards a fully realized epic retelling of Vartan and his war against the mighty Persian Empire. Envisioned as a high-end two hour docu-drama, the first EoB film will pave the way and set up the epic feature that can only be described as the Braveheart of the Byzantine world. Written and Directed by Roger Kupelian (one of the lead artists on the effects for the Lord of the Rings Trilogy) , EoB began its life in New Zealand in 2002. During one particularly wet weekend, Kupelian and an army of medieval reenactors descended into a muddy field and begin shooting what has become a five year journey of development and strategy. Subsequent teasers and very recent developments in HD technology.

East of Byzantium - See the teaser here

On Myspace

[AK-47]

Can't wait man, the teaser looks good.



Spartans? What Spartans?

[Ashot]

well ak, after finding out some more things I would say only one thing... can't wait to hear they are not funded enough to finish the darn movie...

[garmag]

well ak, after finding out some more things I would say only one thing... can't wait to hear they are not funded enough to finish the darn movie...

Hi Ashot,
Due to my ignorence about this film in the making, can you please share with us what you found to put you off the project?
Thanks

[Ashot]

The fact that Vartan Mamikonyan had nothing to do with being EAST of byzantium and the fact that in the movie they are trying to prove that our people including Vartan Mamikonyan has come from CHINESE people... so I don't even want to wish them further luck into the film making, they are trying to promote Chinese audience on a full scale.

[garmag]

The fact that Vartan Mamikonyan had nothing to do with being EAST of byzantium and the fact that in the movie they are trying to prove that our people including Vartan Mamikonyan has come from CHINESE people... so I don't even want to wish them further luck into the film making, they are trying to promote Chinese audience on a full scale.

It's so obvious that we cannot be mistaken as chinese extracts. No slanted eyes...

However if this film succeeds persuading China to adopt Armenia and protect her as big brother in the region..., will there be any objections?
This reminds me, king Hetum of Giligia signing an alliance with Hulaghu, grand son of Gengis khan, that gave him 40 years of peace...
It's a very long shot


P.S. Forgive my sarcasm about the cell phones... it was due to the irritability I developped when three cells had turned me nutty!
I got rid of them.
Now, I control who to answer and when, it's a useful gadget.

Edited by garmag, 20 March 2008 - 01:23 PM.

[Ashot]

I agree with you on the cellphone, however, the movie is representing the wrong side of the history, when many of us are proving the point where we came from and who we are it is just going against our history and beliefs!!!

[AVO]

Vardan Petrosyani mat@ kharna yerevi




Chinatsinerits vakhenal petq chi

Edited by AVO, 20 March 2008 - 03:36 PM.

[Arpa]

It's so obvious that we cannot be mistaken as chinese extracts. No slanted eyes...
However if this film succeeds persuading China to adopt Armenia and protect her as big brother in the region..., will there be any objections?
This reminds me, king Hetum of Giligia signing an alliance with Hulaghu, grand son of Gengis khan, that gave him 40 years of peace...
It's a very long shot
=====

Sireli Garmag,
Maybe now you understand what I meant in another thread when I said; " If it ain't broke, BREAK IT!"

[Tigranik]

WELL Ashot and all who agree with his unproven theory about East oF Byzantium being of Chinese decent and culture..

FIRST of all, Please tell me where you READ THE SCRIPT or got your information because it seems like your pretty sure of your idea ....
At first your response to East of byzantium was a positive feedback, but now you have come to some odd conclusion that VArtan and the movie is "Chinese"

I've actually done REAL research..to back up my response.
"It actually is not just about Vartan as much as the two hundred year journey from Tiridates and his ally Mamgo, through conversion in 301, the eventual Gregorid- Mamikonian union, to the first Christian war of conscience in 451."-Roger Kupelian

HEAR IT FROM ROGER KUPELIAN (the director) himself:
http://forum.hayasta...p;mode=threaded

I think what these guys are trying to do with this forthcoming film and the funding process is very important and inspirational to many people in the Armenian community.....ITS GREAT! =)

[Ashot]

Tigranik - I have an upcoming meeting with Kupelian, pretty soon - then I will come back and post the continuation, apparently there is no script yet - the script is yet to be written, but the ideas he already have!!! There have been couple of ideas that are very arguable, and after the meeting I will let everyone know what's the next step!!!

[Tigranik]

ok let me know what happens..thats very cool..goodluck

Edited by Tigranik, 30 April 2008 - 07:06 PM.

[Armine]

I am and will be supporting the production of the film.... It is very important for us to stop singing to the choir and show the people our culture.....

I can only say one thing about misrepresentation and that is that Roger has worked exensively on Armenian issues and there is no way that he would possibly misrepresent us.... do not forget who he is and the films he has produced prior to his work on Lord of the Rings... if he was a man who did not have concern about our culture and history he would have stayed in the industry that does not have to do with our culture, he would not take that risk...

I am behind this 100%. If we do not help our young generation, if we do not help each other succed it will be very difficult for us.... there is tooooo much scepticism, "otars" are more supportive of this film than Armenians.. and thats just sad... how about we just all stand behind Roger and give him the benefit of the doubt. Dont forget, Dark Forest In The Mountains... directed by Roger.... watch it once and maybe you will get an understanding of where he comes from.

I was at a few of their fundraisers and I got a veryyy good vibe and in no way did Roger say that we come from China nor are we represented that way in the clips!!!

Rather Roger talked about how when he was a child he grew up singing "Menk kaj Vartani torniknernenk..." and how he wants to perserve our culture and identity.

if you guys are interested, you should go to a fundraiser..... and help out... They are going to have more fundraisers.. i will post them once i find out when .

Edited by Armo, 01 May 2008 - 04:55 PM.

[Tigranik]

I would realy enjoy being at one of the movie's fundraiser to support this historic film..

We should thank Roger Kupelian for making this actually happen to take this film on the big picture and

being seen in theaters showing the world our culture and past....

[Zartonk]

I respect Roger and his work. However, I can not say that I fully support a project presenting a historical ambiguity such as the Chinese lineage of one the most influential royal families in the history of Armenia as factual history. It is a position derived from the vague mentions of a few historic sources of the classical period, references which are by no means conclusively 'China' (I'll leave it here as the topic has been discussed here on countless occasions). If anything, Mr. Kupelian and the production team have to consult historians and arrive at the soundest logical middle ground with good research. And yes, I AM aware that all that will require funds, yet the art of film making aside, we can hardly afford any historical misunderstandings as it is.

Edited by Zartonk, 06 May 2008 - 11:47 AM.

[Ashot]

Thank you Zartonk jan, for your reply!!! May I ask you to post more about hits? I want to know in details everything, I have heard it from other sources the theory of the chinese origins being pushed with the Armenians... Can you tell me where did you find out about this and what was the whole argument about? I don't want to disclose my sources, but all in a good time they will be heard!!!

[Zartonk]

Well Ashot jan,

The primary source of this speculation is Khorenati's History of Armenia from the 5th Century which Sebeos subsequently repeated in his 7th Century History. They both refer to a region 'Jenats' as the homeland of the Mamikonian clan progenitors, 'Mamik' and 'Konan'. Now, as we all know, the validity of ancient histories is openly questionable given that the discipline of history was just developing, meaning that a historian was naturally subject to much political and -especially in this case- religious pressure, free of strict empirical and scientific rigor and uncertain of the real factuality of an account. In addition to that, our unsure interpretations of the toponyms (place names) muddles the facts even more, as a recent slight revision to Central Asian Steppes (Tocharian) from the Far East (China) demonstrates.


Please refer to these past topics:

Thread: Mamikoneans

Thread: Mamikonian Ancestor From China

Thread: Mr. G. Mamigonian is right: look at these photographs



On the patriarch of Armenian history Khorenatsi:

Commentary on Movses of Khorene by R. Thompson

'Why we should read the History of Armenia'


(Thompson's article Moses and his sources begins with the line 'Without mentioning any specific kind of source, Moses frequently uses expressions such as "they say" or "as we have heard."')


History of Armenia in Russsian


PS: Laves Arpa jan?

[Zartonk]

Also guys, lets leave this thread for the film project. We may discuss the Mamikonians in their own thread.

[Ashot]

The discussion is not Mamikonians Azat jan, the discussion was where did we get the idea that Kupelian is using the Chinese as our begning... I have been arguing with everyone that the version is wrong, we are not Asian, nor we came from Asia, we have been in the same land from the begning to start with!!! And there has been many arguments going back and forth. As a matter a fact, people like Gevork Nazarian and Artak Movsisyan are not wanting to support this movie only for the same reason as we are not!!! Therefore, the only way to get this thing rolling, which I do really want to see it roll, is to get some of our known hystorians to meet with Kupelian and settle this argument and use the correct version to show the world who we really are, not some fake china men theory!!!

I am not trying to offend Kupelian or his team for doing this great work, nor am I trying to discourage anyone from anything, all I want is the right facts on the table!!!

[hyethga]

The girl from the trailer looked good. Is she supposed to be Mamikonian's love interest or something?