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'GRANDMA'S TATTOOS' SCREENED IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
http://asbarez.com/110764/%E2%80%98grandma%E2%80%99s-tattoos%E2%80%99-screened-in-european-parliament/
Thursday, June 20th, 2013
The European Parliament screening of "Grandma's Tattoos"
BRUSSELS-On Monday June 17, the European Armenian Federation for
Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) co-organized the screening of the
documentary, "Grandma's Tattoos" with Swedish - Armenian director
Suzanne Khardalian in the European Parliament.
The screening was co-hosted by two Swedish Members of the Euroepan
Parliament, Carl Schlyter (Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance)
and Cecilia Wikstrom (Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
for Europe).
A very diverse audience of more than 120 people attended the
screening. Following welcoming remarks and introduction by EAFJD
President Kaspar Karampetian, "Grandma's Tattoos" was screened. The
audience was electrified, and emotionally touched by the film, which
chronicles the plight Armenian girls and women abducted and enslaved
during the Armenian Genocide, and marked by tattoos as the properties
of their captors.
After the screening, European Parliament member Cecilia Wikstrom,
and director Suzanne Khardalian responded to the questions of the
audience. Questions ranged from the violation of women in wartime
to the shame and humiliation carried with it. Wikstrom said that
"a woman's body is a battleship" and expressed her concerns about
violated women, and that the EU Parliament should send a strong
message against it.
Khardalian told the audience that her aunt Lucia -the main character
in the documentary - did not have the chance to see the movie, since
she passed away before the completion of the movie. However, the
director said she is "fortunate," only because a significant number
of Armenian women had already been interviewed by her, as if they were
"waiting to tell their stories before leaving this world."
Khardalian mentioned that like her grandmother, "I also feel violated
and ashamed because the stigma of rape passed on from generation
to generation".
Co-host of the screening, European Parliament member Carl Schlyter,
in his closing remarks said that the fate of women during both World
Wars, and even before and after must be told to the coming generations,
and stressed the need for vigilance against such acts, so they are
not repeated.
From: A. Papazian
http://asbarez.com/110764/%E2%80%98grandma%E2%80%99s-tattoos%E2%80%99-screened-in-european-parliament/
Thursday, June 20th, 2013
The European Parliament screening of "Grandma's Tattoos"
BRUSSELS-On Monday June 17, the European Armenian Federation for
Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) co-organized the screening of the
documentary, "Grandma's Tattoos" with Swedish - Armenian director
Suzanne Khardalian in the European Parliament.
The screening was co-hosted by two Swedish Members of the Euroepan
Parliament, Carl Schlyter (Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance)
and Cecilia Wikstrom (Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
for Europe).
A very diverse audience of more than 120 people attended the
screening. Following welcoming remarks and introduction by EAFJD
President Kaspar Karampetian, "Grandma's Tattoos" was screened. The
audience was electrified, and emotionally touched by the film, which
chronicles the plight Armenian girls and women abducted and enslaved
during the Armenian Genocide, and marked by tattoos as the properties
of their captors.
After the screening, European Parliament member Cecilia Wikstrom,
and director Suzanne Khardalian responded to the questions of the
audience. Questions ranged from the violation of women in wartime
to the shame and humiliation carried with it. Wikstrom said that
"a woman's body is a battleship" and expressed her concerns about
violated women, and that the EU Parliament should send a strong
message against it.
Khardalian told the audience that her aunt Lucia -the main character
in the documentary - did not have the chance to see the movie, since
she passed away before the completion of the movie. However, the
director said she is "fortunate," only because a significant number
of Armenian women had already been interviewed by her, as if they were
"waiting to tell their stories before leaving this world."
Khardalian mentioned that like her grandmother, "I also feel violated
and ashamed because the stigma of rape passed on from generation
to generation".
Co-host of the screening, European Parliament member Carl Schlyter,
in his closing remarks said that the fate of women during both World
Wars, and even before and after must be told to the coming generations,
and stressed the need for vigilance against such acts, so they are
not repeated.
From: A. Papazian