CHRISTIAN BALE, OSCAR ISAAC TO STAR IN KIRK KERKORIAN PRODUCED FILM ON

[Yervant1]

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.

http://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/603021196/960x0.jpg?fit=scale

(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.com/sites/realspin/2016/11/14/genocide-denial-goes-viral-the-promise-and-the-imdb/#7ee698323ca7

[Yervant1]

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.com/oscar-isaac-armenian-genocide-film-promise-goes-open-road/

[Yervant1]

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

 

Turkish Propaganda Film ‘The Ottoman Lieutenant’ Made to Repudiate ‘The Promise’

• Op-Ed

08/02/17

http://asbarez.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/TheOttomanLieutenantRepudiatesThePromise.jpg

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/160008/turkish-propaganda-film-the-ottoman-lieutenant-made-to-repudiate-the-promise/

 

 

[Yervant1]

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

By Contributor on February 22, 2017 in Headline, New, News // 0 Comments // http://armenianweekly.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-email/images/email_famfamfam.png // http://armenianweekly.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-print/images/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.

http://armenianweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/16903326_10154524874081859_3231417243905864636_o.jpg

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://armenianweekly.com/2017/02/22/elton-john-promise/

[Yervant1]

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).

[Yervant1]

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

http://cdn4.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2016/09/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.

 

http://cdn4.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/320x180/2016/09/promise_03-h_2016_0.jpg

'The Promise': Film Review | TIFF 2016

 

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.hollywoodreporter.com/news/promise-film-proceeds-donated-nonprofits-978409

[Yervant1]

Elton John presents Armenian Genocide film “The Promise” at Oscar party

10:17, 28 Feb 2017

Siranush Ghazanchyan

http://www.armradio.am/en/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/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.am/en/2017/02/28/elton-john-presents-armenian-genocide-film-the-promiseat-oscar-party/

[Yervant1]

Armenian Genocide drama The Promise debuts new trailer

23:25, 02 Mar 2017

Siranush Ghazanchyan

http://www.groong.com/news/attachments/msg595661/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.am/en/2017/03/02/armenian-genocide-drama-the-promise-debuts-new-trailer/

[Yervant1]

 

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

 

Turkish Propaganda Film ‘The Ottoman Lieutenant’ Made to Repudiate ‘The Promise’

• Op-Ed

08/02/17

http://asbarez.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/TheOttomanLieutenantRepudiatesThePromise.jpg

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/

 

 

AYF Statement on Turkish Propaganda Film

• 07/03/17

http://asbarez.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/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/160979/ayf-statement-on-turkish-propaganda-film/

Edited March 8, 2017 by Yervant1

[Yervant1]

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.com/2017/03/chicago-sun-times-poorly-acted-ottoman-lieutenant-also-glosses-genocide/

[Yervant1]

Flick Filosopher

March 10 2017

The Ottoman Lieutenant movie review: erasing the past with sleight of cinematic hand

 

by MaryAnn Johanson

 

Fri Mar 10 2017, 06:34pm | 3 comments

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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*

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“So we agree that she’s cute enough to distract everyone from genocide? Good!”http://www.flickfilosopher.com/wptest/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/tinytwitter.png

If only the most offensive aspect of this movie were the tepid, unconvincing romancehttp://www.flickfilosopher.com/wptest/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/tinytwitter.png between Lillie and Ottoman Imperial Army lieutenant Ismail (Michiel Huisman: The Invitation, The Age of Adaline)! Or the male entitlement displayed by the American doctor (Josh Hartnett: 30 Days of Night, Resurrecting 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,http://www.flickfilosopher.com/wptest/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/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 Book, The Walk) in the cast, director Joseph Ruben (The Forgotten, Return to Paradise), and screenwriter Jeff Stockwell (Bridge to Terabithia) — should be ashamed of themselves for abetting it.

http://www.flickfilosopher.com/2017/03/ottoman-lieutenant-movie-review-erasing-past-sleight-cinematic-hand.html

[Yervant1]

Greek Group Joins AYF In Calling for Boycott of Pro-Turkish Film

• 13/03/17

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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/161182/greek-group-joins-ayf-in-calling-for-boycott-of-pro-turkish-film/

[Yervant1]

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

13:52, 17 Mar 2017

Siranush Ghazanchyan

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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.am/en/2017/03/17/christian-bale-chris-cornell-and-serj-tankian-to-attend-premiere-of-the-promise/

 

 

[Yervant1]

 

Capitol Hill viewing of “The Promise” draws capacity Congressional audience

10:36, 23 Mar 2017

Siranush Ghazanchyan

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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.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2017/03/23/capitol-hill-viewing-of-the-promise-draws-capacity-congressional-audience/

[Yervant1]

‘Why every American should see The Promise’ - The Huffington Post

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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.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/884554/%E2%80%98why-every-american-should-see-the-promise%E2%80%99---the-huffington-post.html

[Yervant1]

A ‘Promise’ Delivered

Mirror Spectator
Editorial 4-1 April 2017

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By Edmond Y. Azadian

While discussing the Armenian Genocide with a close associate of Kirk Kerkorian a few years before the magnate’s death, I was told that he is not a person who deals with the past; instead, he is a man of the future. I was saddened to hear that comment, because I knew that only someone like Kerkorian could deliver our message to the world in a monumental way. It turned out, however, that the storm inherited from his ancestors was fermenting in his brain and eventually he was planning to bring a project to fruition about the subject.

The movie “The Promise” seems to be that message delivered into the future by Kerkorian posthumously.

While there is an overwhelming deluge of documents, films and scholarly books on the Jewish Holocaust, Armenians have to struggle for a sliver of news about the Genocide to catch world attention.

One reason, of course, is the fact that Hitler is not alive to deny the grisly crimes he committed against the Jewish people and the other is that the Jews did due diligence to get the message out to the world. The German state freely acknowledges its sins and has actively atoned for it since its defeat at the end of World War II.

In the Armenian case, Talaat ***** may be dead, but his legacy is still alive in Turkey. The blow that he dealt to the Armenians was so devastating that they were not able to arise for 50 years after the Genocide to fully put into perspective what had happened to them and to tell their story to the world.

According to the Genocide scholar Taner Akçam, the Kemalists who came together to build the modern Republic of Turkey were the same Ittihadists that had organized and carried out the plan of genocide. Therefore, while enjoying the loot left behind by the deportations and mass murder, they realized it was an existential cause to deny the Genocide.

Even in the 1930s, when Turkey had not yet attained its international clout, the government was able to ban the movie version based on Franz Werfel’s book, Forty Days of Musa Dagh, that was going to be made in Hollywood, because Turkish leaders realized the propaganda value of the venture. Already, the novel itself had stirred so much awareness in the world public opinion since its publication in Austria. And ever since then, they have been vigilant about preventing any documentary or artistic representation of the Armenian Genocide in its proper context.

The 1978 movie “Midnight Express,” helmed by British filmmaker Robert Parker, had nothing to do with the Genocide or for that matter with Armenians, but it brought unfavorable international attention on modern Turkey’s medieval judicial system with horrifying jails and jailers.

Even today the issue of the Armenian Genocide has moved out of its historic venue into the public domain where the truth is tortured and denialism continues with a vengeance.

The fanfare around the anniversary of the Gallipoli defeat in 2015 was an effort to soften the blow of intense publicity regarding the centennial of the Armenian Genocide the Turkish government dreaded through commemorations.

As well, Pope Francis’s visit to Armenia and his pronouncement recognizing the events for what they were at the Vatican were muted in the world press, not necessarily because of neglect but certainly by design.

The parallel context that the Turks have been weaving is revealed vividly when the movie “The Promise” is released next month, simultaneously with a Turkish-funded movie called “The Ottoman Lieutenant.” In the latter film, within the context of a palpable romance, a subtle Turkish narrative is promoted in which yes, Armenians were slaughtered but because there was an insurrection in Van. No one will be sitting in the movie theaters to explain to the viewers that the insurrection was a result of the Genocide, not the cause, and that it was triggered by a need for self-defense.

The Turks realize that they cannot cover up the truth, because the documents are so overwhelming. But it is to their advantage to turn the issue into a controversy, planting a seed of doubt, to promote the presumption that there is “another side of the story.” That is the intent of the “Lieutenant.”

It is an enigma why Kerkorian did not produce the movie in his lifetime. Perhaps he was working behind the scenes to line up support. Even his towering munificence manifested in untraditional way while he was alive.

The achievement of this film is also a sad commentary about an oft-asked question: Why is it that “The Promise,” the Dilijan International College, Tumo Center and IDeA Project are all achieved by visionary individuals and not by traditional organizations? The answer is that the framework of diasporan organizations is outmoded and they are not able to conceptualize such projects, let alone to achieve them. That is why they are being bypassed.

“The Promise,” with a stellar cast and helmed by Terry George who directed “Hotel Rwanda,” opens nationwide on April 21. Armenians in general and friends of truth and justice around the world are urged to support this movie. All proceeds from the box office are going to charity, to help Armenian causes around the world.

Survival Pictures, the studio releasing “The Promise,” realized Kerkorian’s dream in a monumental way, having no shortage of resources and in the process people heretofore unknown have become true heroes.

Dr. Eric Esrailian, previously a relatively unknown public figure in the Armenian community, has helped guide the film through its successful completion, with a true Armenian heart and a broad world view, and epic connections to Hollywood and beyond.

“’The Promise’ means so much personally,” Esrailian has said. “The promise was from us to complete the film. The promise is for us to never forget and the promise is for us also a vow to do something so that it never happens again.”

This message evolves from the specific to resonate universal truths.

It may well apply to the message of the movie delivered from the beyond to living humanity by Kerkorian himself.

[Yervant1]

Huffington Post

March 3 2017

Hate for Hire

03/03/2017 04:03 am ET | Updated Mar 09, 2017

by Mary Wald, Contributor

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Russia is not alone in flooding the Internet with fake news and “comments.” Post something on any reasonably large site saying “You know the Falun Gong isn’t all that bad…” and watch the flood of hate unleashed from China on your comments. It won’t look Chinese. But it is. Governments who are accustomed to controlling the media have put considerable energy into working out how the supposedly open and objective Internet can surreptitiously be harnessed to enforce a political agenda.

The newest wave of fake isn’t in the news arena but is no less coordinated. Terry George (Hotel Rwanda, In the Name of the Father, Some Mother’s Son) has a new film coming out in April, The Promise, with Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale. The film is on the Armenian genocide. In his usual form, George brings the events to us at bone level by weaving them into a personal love story (see trailer).

The problem with the film is that Turkey doesn’t want to acknowledge the fact that in a few years, between 1915 and 1922, they killed somewhere around 1.5 million Armenians; 80% of the Armenian population. Some were killed by outright slaughter, some by starvation, some by forcible displacement, including long marches through the Syrian desert without food or water, their own version of the Trail of Tears.

Yes, it was a genocide. And despite it being well documented, even in the American press at the time, few government leaders today will acknowledge it as such. (Obama did before he was elected. He even used the word genocide. Once he was elected he stopped. Someone must have shown him the map of NATO countries). It has been denied, played down, brushed off. Very deliberately.

In the 1930s, MGM tried to make “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh,” a novel by Franz Werfel about a lone group of Armenians defending one of their last territories against the Turkish onslaught. It was set to star Clark Gable. After pressure from the Turkish government, MGM ditched it. Like the existence of Taiwan, no one wants to get stomped by the elephant in that room.

No one except Terry George, who pretty much makes what he wants, and Kirk Kerkorian, who created Survival Pictures to get the story told after decades of denial and cover up. Kerkorian died just before principal photography. But even if he was alive, independent movie producers today don’t have to take calls from governments who don’t like their content.

Enter the Internet. The Promise has been screened exactly three times. Let’s be generous and say somewhere between 4000-5000 people have seen it.

Yet the DAY AFTER the movie screened at the Toronto Film Festival, a torrent of reviews for the film started appearing on IMDB, culminating in somewhere around 85,000 reviews for The Promise — 80,000 more than could have possibly attended the screenings. Overwhelmingly, they were horrible reviews, 1 star, calling it garbage and worse. And overwhelmingly, they betrayed a complete lack of knowledge or any specifics about the film. Well of course. Because the people writing them hadn’t seen the film.

Sure there are Turks in the US who will object to this movie on principal, just as there are some snipers in the reviews too quick to point out that it was “the Muslims” who slaughtered the Armenians. But 85,000 is not a few irate people. It is an organized mob. Or more likely a small network on laptops or in a boiler room working to make it look like a mob. Either way it is coordinated. And to coordinate something of this magnitude, you pay for it.

Some alert readers seem to have tipped off IMDB as the tens of thousands of generic “this movie bad” reviews were pulled down, leaving a more honest mix of 32 reviews by people who seem to have actually seen the movie in place.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hate-for-hire_us_58b92df4e4b02b8b584dfa64

[Yervant1]

Huffington Post

March 21 2017

THE STORYTELLERS: PROTECTING THE TRUTH

03/21/2017 04:45 pm ET

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by Mary Wald

A neighbor once asked me how I knew that the Holocaust actually happened. I was able to point out that a mutual friend of ours, Irene, had lived as a child under Nazi occupation in Amsterdam. Her father died in a concentration camp for harboring Jews. She had carried messages for the resistance in the handlebars of her bicycle to other resistance fighters in town. She was there when the survivors of the camps arrived back in Amsterdam on buses, walking skeletons still in their striped uniforms.

But Irene was 11 years old when the Nazis invaded Amsterdam. Today she is 83. The men and women who stumbled off those buses have passed now. Meanwhile, white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers have started running campaigns of anti-Semitic fliers, rallies and even speaking engagements on 63 college campuses in the United States. As time marches on, it becomes easier to forget; easier to ignore the lessons of history. Easier to deny.

It would be easier to forget, that is, if it weren’t for the storytellers; the filmmakers and novelists who weave the facts of something as horrific as a genocide into a tapestry of experience, humanity, courage and love. A good story makes you more than a reader. It makes you a participant in an episode of history. It spurs you to love, to fear, to lose and to win along with its characters. And once immersed, the experience never leaves you.

Elie Wiesel was the Holocaust’s master storyteller. It is why the neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers expend considerable energy to discredit him. But they can’t. La Nuit, or Night in English, just one of his 137 books, has been translated into 30 languages. It has sold more than 8 million copies in the US alone. No matter who, no matter where, when you open the first chapter, you are riveted. The book’s impact will never be able to be dampened.

It’s not just stories about the Holocaust. If you are old enough, you certainly learned more about the American Indians and their treatment at the hands of the white man from Little Big Man than you ever learned in school. If you’re not old enough for that one, you may have had the “white man tames savages” bubble shattered by Dancing with Wolves. Those lucky enough to have seen Phillip Noyce’s Rabbit Proof Fence, which unearths the story of Australia’s “lost generation,” know more about the treatment of the Aborigines in Australia than most Australians. And once you learn about the lost generation from the faces of young children being torn from their parents (a scene that reportedly had even the camera crew sobbing), it doesn’t go away.

Armenians know all about rewriting history and denial. Many Armenians in the US today have grown up wondering why they have no grandparents, or very few aunts and uncles. They heard stories. First-hand stories. Stories of how, between 1915 and 1922, 80% of the Armenians in their homeland were slaughtered. They sat in the safety of their living rooms in the West and talked to their relatives about rivers full of bodies, about mass starvation, about marches with no food and no clothes, through the desert with no water. Those who had grandparents heard how many of them arrived in the US as children, survivors of atrocity. They know.

There is a reason why more than 100,000 Armenians marched to the Turkish consulate in Los Angeles to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the genocide of the Armenian people two years ago. Turkey, and many powerful Western governments, have yet to acknowledge that it even happened.

Enter the storytellers. The first and most prominent was Franz Werfel, an Austrian novelist and son of a Jewish merchant in Prague. In 1933 Werfel’s novels were burned in Germany by the Nazis. That same year he completed The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, a story of 5000 Armenians in what is now Southern Turkey, defending themselves against the onslaught of Turkish troops. Basing the story on the horrors he had witnessed while serving in the Austro-Hungarian Army in Damascus, in an almost eerie foreshadowing, Werfel was putting deportations, concentration camps and massacres of the Armenians to paper just as Nazi troops were approaching his homeland.

MGM bought the production rights to The Forty Days of Musa Dagh and went into preproduction in 1934, casting Clark Gable to star. The Turkish government launched a press attack with anti-Semitic overtones. They threatened a boycott of not only American films in Turkey but of all Jewish products. MGM caved and stopped production.

But a good story is hard to kill. Today we are still talking about the book. I ordered my copy yesterday from Amazon. Eighty years after it was written.

Filmmaker Terry George probably leads the pack today in bringing atrocity home through film. It’s hard to think of the Rwanda genocide today without remembering Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda. If you’ve ever seen In the Name of the Father, just try thinking about the Troubles in Northern Ireland without remembering Daniel Day-Lewis seeing his father arrive in prison.

George is taking on the Armenian genocide with a new film, The Promise, starring Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac. From the trailer it promises to be another Terry George story that will leave the story of the Armenian genocide imprinted in your heart.

Denial, or even the more subtle version of “planting doubts,” whether about Armenian, Jewish or other genocides, is a perpetuation of the kind of racism and hatred used to foment the genocide in the first place. As the South Africans taught us so brilliantly with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, fully closing the chapter and walking forward into a new more humane day requires first acknowledging what was in that chapter, even staring it in the face. Thankfully, when governments fail to do so, the storytellers keep the truth and the lessons of history alive for us to do so.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-storytellers-protecting-the-truth_us_58d18ec8e4b062043ad4ad90

[Yervant1]

Hollywood Reporter

April 6 2017

Armenian Genocide Drama 'The Promise' Screens at the Vatican

10:15 AM PDT 4/6/2017 by Mia Galuppo

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Courtesy of TIFF

'The Promise'

The Survival Films feature has been on a world tour.

The Promise, the historical drama that stars Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac and tells the story of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey at the outset of World War I, is the latest film to screen at the Vatican.

Director Terry George was on hand in Rome for the screening, along with castmembers Shohreh Aghdashloo and James Cromwell.

The Survival Films feature has been on a world tour, of sorts.

The London premiere was attended by international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and her husband, George, who has been an outspoken advocate of the movie, which seeks to educate audiences about human atrocities and the dangers of denialist narratives.

All the proceeds from The Promise's theatrical run will be given to nonprofit organizations, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation and other human rights and humanitarian groups.

The Promise hits theaters in the U.S. on April 21.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/armenian-genocide-drama-promise-screens-at-vatican-991716

[Yervant1]

The National Student, UK

April 9 2017

Film Review: The Promise

Keri Baptiste at City University, London

9th April 2017

The Promise is the harrowing story of the Armenian Genocide disguised as a love story.

http://thenationalstudent.com/admin/images/tinymce/oscar%20isacc.jpg

 

The Promise focuses on the character of Mikael Pogosian, from a small town in the Turkish mountains, who wishes to study medicine in Constantinople. He accepts a betrothal so he can use the dowry to pay his way. Once in the city, living with family, he encounters his little cousins’ tutor, Ana, and finds himself falling in love, despite the promise that he has made.

 

Oscar Isaac plays the role of Mikael brilliantly. He puts so much raw emotion and energy into all of his performances that it’s hard to be anything but enraptured by his presence on the screen. Charlotte Le Bon, who plays Ana, encompasses a lot of strength of will and emotion into the typical love interest that makes her just enchanting to watch on screen.

 

Christian Bale’s character of Chris Myers is not as endearing but just as engaging. This has to do with the importance of his role within the story – the reporter who is sending information about what the Turkish government is doing to the Armenian people. It is through the eyes of Chris Myers that you, as an audience, get a glimpse at some of the atrocities that took place during that time period that don’t touch Mikael or Ana. He is the outsider, someone who is experiencing it through human empathy only, and that is something that most audiences will understand as they watch this film.

 

On the surface, this is a very simple and sweet story about honour and love and vows sworn but, because of the backdrop of history, this story becomes so much more. It speaks of true horrors that are rarely spoken about, due to the denial that has set in internationally.

 

Director Terry George spoke about how he wished for this film to be accessible to everyone, so it can be “a tool of education as well as entertainment”. This is something that he has succeeded on.

 

The romance is believable and sweet and the conflict comes from the promises made, the relationships broken and the idea that falling in love has no sense of right or wrong. The devastation of human life is shown so honestly, and for those who watch and have prior knowledge of the Armenian genocide, can't help but feel gratitude that George handled this subject with such care.

 

The only issue I had with the movie was to do with whitewashing. Whilst there were Armenian actors in this movie, the main characters are all played by non-Armenian actors and it would have been nice to have that representation right there.

 

The Promise is an emotional experience about a truly horrific time, and the hope and love that can be found there. And, as Terry George wished, there is something for everyone.

 

The Promise is due to be released on 28th April through Entertainment One.

http://www.thenationalstudent.com/Film/2017-04-09/film_review_the_promise.html

[Yervant1]

News Busters

April 10 2017

These Ten Stars Are Promoting Armenian Genocide Film 'The Promise'

By Sarah Stites | April 10, 2017

 

Sarah Stites

Stars Pledge to #KeepThePromise

After surviving a targeted effort by Turkish lobbies to derail its success, the Armenian Genocide film The Promise will open in American theaters next week. And Hollywood celebs are getting the word out.

After surviving a targeted effort by Turkish lobbies to derail its success, the Armenian Genocide film The Promise will open in American theaters next week. And Hollywood celebs are getting the word out.

Because the Turkish government still denies waging genocide against Armenians a century later, films about the conflict have encountered resistance. The most recent movie to tackle the topic – The Promise – stars A-lister Christian Bale, yet even that did not preclude pushback.

However, two months after the film’s Toronto Film Festival debut, Open Road Films obtained distribution rights, celebrities joined in promotional efforts and the producers announced that all of the film’s proceeds would go toward charities. After screenings in London and the Vatican last month, The Promise will open April 21 in theaters across America.

Here are the big name stars who have joined in the effort to #keepthepromise.

Cher

Cher, born Cherilyn Sarkisian, is part Armenian herself. After screening The Promise, the “goddess of pop” tweeted: “This film broke my heart, & NOT JUST 4 ARMENIANS, BUT 4 ALL PPL WHO'VE SUFFERED & LOST LOVED ONES. We’re all beautiful flowers We look best in a bouquet.”

George & Amal Clooney

Hollywood actor George Clooney and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, attended the London screening of the film. Mrs. Clooney represented the country before the European Court of Human Rights in a 2015 case against a denialist Turkish politician.

Leonardo DiCaprio

“Oscar Isaac, Christian Bale and Charlotte Le Bon, under the direction of Terry George, provide extraordinary performances in the upcoming film The Promise,” actor DiCaprio wrote on his Facebook page. “I applaud the entire team, together with my good friend the legendary producer Mike Medavoy, whose enduring talent, dedication and commitment brought this important project and subject to life.”

Dean Cain

In March, actor/director Dean Cain traveled to Yerevan, Armenia to speak with the Syrian refugees of Armenian heritage who are currently living there. “Armenians have been persecuted for centuries, they were the first bastion of Christianity,” he told Fox & Friends on March 21. “And they are the only bastion of Christianity in the Middle East, in that area.”

Naturally, Cain has also supported The Promise. “In college I studied history, I learned about genocides, like the Armenian Genocide, and the Holocaust,” the actor commented in a video posted on Twitter. “There’s genocides going on right now, here, today. I’m talking about Syria, Iraq, Sudan. I vow to keep the promise to relegate Genocide to the history books.”

Barbra Streisand

“I am joining @esrailian & @thepromisefilm to #KeepThePromise to never forget,” the singing star posted to her Instagram account.

Elton John

“I am thrilled to announce @thepromisefilm's release, a story about the Armenian Genocide, on Apr. 21. In the spirit of this film, I join the movement to #KeepThePromise to champion human rights, dignity & equality & an end to #AIDS through @ejafdn,” the self-titled “flamboyant superstar” wrote on Instagram. “In a wonderful display of the human spirit, all of the film’s proceeds will be donated to charity because, in a belief that I share, no one should be left behind. Thank you to @esrailian & everyone for your support throughout the years!”

Sylvester Stallone

“This extraordinary film is opening April 21,” Stallone wrote of The Promise. “It is a subject that I have been fascinated with for decades and it has taken many years for someone to finally have the guts to make it and finally bring it to the screen for all to see…” The actor continued, “It is true and incredibly important historical drama That has all the extraordinary ingredients that can make a movie Oscar quality. It's amazing lead actors Christian Bale, and Oscar Isaac, Play their parts to perfection! And a special shout out to it's a legendary producer, Mike Medavoy, Who finally brought this epic story to the screen.”

Don Cheadle

“Hi, I’m Don Cheadle and I’ve seen the effects of genocide up close and personal in Darfur,” the comedian announced in a Twitter video. “I vow to keep the promise, and raise awareness and fight genocide around the world wherever it may occur.”

Andre Agassi

Famed Armenian-American tennis champ Andre Agassi also publicized his support. “Hi, I’m Andre Agassi and I’m so proud to see that Kirk Kerkorian’s vision has become a reality,” the sports star commented over Twitter. “Help me keep Kirk’s promise.”

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Tony Goldwyn

Scandal star Tony Goldwyn posted a video on Twitter with the comment: "@MPTF we #KeepThePromise every day to take care of our own. @thepromisefilm opening April 21 with ALL proceeds going to charities."

https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/sarah-stites/2017/04/10/these-ten-stars-are-promoting-armenian-genocide-film-promise

[Yervant1]

 

Human Rights Watch thanks creators of The Promise movie

14:04, 12.04.2017

Region:World News, Armenia

Theme: Society

http://www.groong.com/news/attachments/msg599463/pngbk3xbC7MQX.png

 

 

 

Human Rights Watch thanked the creators of the Promise movie for supporting their work.

The Promise will be released in U.S. on April 21. The movie directed by Terry George and starring Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon and Christian Bale tells the story of the Armenian Genocide. Eric Esrailian is one of the producers.

https://news.am/eng/news/384190.html

[Yervant1]

#KeepThePromise: Cher joins anti-genocide call to action

21:43, 12 Apr 2017

Siranush Ghazanchyan

http://www.armradio.am/en/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Cher-620x300.jpg

Cher has joined the anti-genocide call to action connected to “The Promise” film.

“Hitler said if they don’t remember the Armenias, they will not remember the Jews. We cannot let this happen to another group of people. I vow to keep the promise,” Cher said in a video posted on Twitter.

Cher

✔@cher

I vow to #KeepThePromise 4/21 @thepromisefilm @esrailian

4:02 PM - 12 Apr 2017

• • 274274 Retweets
  • • 736736 likes

Armenian Genocide film The Promise will be released in mainstream theaters across the United States and Canada on April 21.

Produced by the legendary Kirk Kerkorian’s Survival Pictures and directed by Academy Award winner Terry George (Hotel Rwanda), The Promise features an outstanding international cast, including Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, Christian Bale, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Angela Sarafyan, and many more.

All proceeds from the film will be donated to non-profit organizations, the first time for a film of this scale.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2017/04/12/keepthepromise-cher-joins-anti-genocide-call-to-action/

[Yervant1]

Cher criticises UK and US refusal to recognize Armenian Genocide

11:01, 13 Apr 2017

Siranush Ghazanchyan

http://www.armradio.am/en/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Cher-620x300.jpg

Cher has called on the UK Government to recognize as genocide the mass killing of Armenians during the First World War.

The 70-year-old star, whose father was Armenian-American, criticized Britain’s refusal to use the term to describe the 1915 atrocities when she attended the Los Angeles premiere of The Promise.

Cher said she believed the UK and US governments had not recognized the deaths as genocide because Armenia has “nothing to give them”.

She told the Press Association: “We’re small. Armenia is landlocked. We have no oil. We have nothing to give them.

“How much would it take (to recognize the genocide)?

“Armenians are a small group of people and we have nothing that they’re interested in.

“You’d think they’d do it out of the goodness of their hearts.”

Asked if she was hopeful President Donald Trump would recognize the killings as genocide, Cher replied: “No!”

The US singer was joined at the premiere by Kim Kardashian, who also has Armernian heritage and has previously called for the US to use the term to describe the mass killings.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2017/04/13/cher-criticises-uk-and-us-refusal-to-recognize-armenian-genocide/

[Yervant1]

Fox News
April 13 2017

Dean Cain: People are being taught to hate

By Blanche Johnson

 

LOS ANGELES – Dean Cain, a self-proclaimed history buff, thinks there is too much ignorance in the world today.

“...The truth of the matter is, this is not the most violent time we have ever lived in.” he told Fox News. “Because of technology now, if something happens in Syria today, we know about it five minutes later, so it feels like it’s everywhere.”

Still, he is very disturbed by all of the international conflicts going on right now.

“Why people can't get along?... I think most of that is based on ignorance and being taught the wrong things. There is a lot of things going on in schooling throughout the world where they are teaching the wrong things. They are teaching hate. People don't come out hating or understanding color, race or religion; they don’t get that at all, it’s all taught. If we start teaching them differently that will make a big difference.”

Cain walked the red carpet at the premiere of the “The Promise" starring Christian Bale and Oscar Issac. The film tells the story of an Armenian medical student during the final days of the Ottoman Empire.

The 50-year-old actor is proud to support the movie.

“I was in Armenia six weeks ago and I was producing a documentary about the Armenian genocide and doing another television show about the current refugees from Syria— the Syrian Armenians,” he said. “It’s a big part of my recent life. Friends of mine made this film, and I have had a lot of Armenian friends my whole life. We have been discussing the genocide and such, and for me to be here it’s a no brainer... Hopefully a film like this will shine a large enough light that people will be forced to act.”

Cher, Sylvester Stallone, Kourtney and Kim Kardashian also attended the premiere.

 

"The Promise" hits theaters April 21st.

Watch the video of the interview about the Syrian-Armenian refugees at http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/04/13/dean-cain-people-are-being-taught-to-hate.html