Tweet
"RAVISHED ARMENIA" AND THE STORY OF AURORA MARDIGANIAN - REVISED EDITION
August 7, 2014
http://www.horizonweekly.ca/news/details/46112
A REMINDER OF THE PIVOTAL ROLE ONE WOMAN PLAYED IN OUR EARLY
APPREHENSION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
"Ravished Armenia" and the Story of Aurora Mardiganian is the real-life
tale of a teenage Armenian girl who was caught up in the 1915 Armenian
genocide, the first genocide in modern history.
Mardiganian (1901-1994) witnessed the murder of her family and the
suffering of her people at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Forced to
march over fourteen hundred miles, she was sold into slavery. When
she escaped to the United States, Mardiganian was then exploited
by the very individuals whom she believed might help. Her story was
published in book form and then used as the basis for a 1918 feature
film, in which she herself starred.
The film Ravished Armenia, also known as Auction of Souls, is a graphic
retelling of Aurora Mardiganian's story, with the teenager in the
central role, supported by Anna Q. Nilsson and Irving Cummings and
directed by Oscar Apfel. Only twenty minutes of the film--the first
to deal with the Armenian genocide--is known to survive, but it proves
to be a stunning production, presenting its story in newsreel style.
This revised edition of Anthony Slide's "Ravished Armenia" and the
Story of Aurora Mardiganian also contains an annotated reprint of
Mardiganian's original narrative and, for the first time, the full
screenplay. In his introduction, Slide recounts the making of the
film and Mardiganian's life in the United States, involving a cast of
characters including Henry Morgenthau, Mrs. George W. Vanderbilt, Mrs.
Oliver Harriman, and film pioneer William Selig. The introduction
also includes original comments by Aurora Mardiganian, whom Slide
interviewed before her death. Acclaimed Armenian Canadian filmmaker
Atom Egoyan, who created a video art installation about Mardiganian
in 2007, provides a foreword.
Anthony Slide has published more than seventy books on popular
entertainment, including Inside the Hollywood Fan Magazine: A History
of Star Makers, Fabricators, and Gossip Mongers and Hollywood Unknowns:
A History of Extras, Bit Players, and Stand-Ins (both published by
University Press of Mississippi).
August 7, 2014
http://www.horizonweekly.ca/news/details/46112
A REMINDER OF THE PIVOTAL ROLE ONE WOMAN PLAYED IN OUR EARLY
APPREHENSION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
"Ravished Armenia" and the Story of Aurora Mardiganian is the real-life
tale of a teenage Armenian girl who was caught up in the 1915 Armenian
genocide, the first genocide in modern history.
Mardiganian (1901-1994) witnessed the murder of her family and the
suffering of her people at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Forced to
march over fourteen hundred miles, she was sold into slavery. When
she escaped to the United States, Mardiganian was then exploited
by the very individuals whom she believed might help. Her story was
published in book form and then used as the basis for a 1918 feature
film, in which she herself starred.
The film Ravished Armenia, also known as Auction of Souls, is a graphic
retelling of Aurora Mardiganian's story, with the teenager in the
central role, supported by Anna Q. Nilsson and Irving Cummings and
directed by Oscar Apfel. Only twenty minutes of the film--the first
to deal with the Armenian genocide--is known to survive, but it proves
to be a stunning production, presenting its story in newsreel style.
This revised edition of Anthony Slide's "Ravished Armenia" and the
Story of Aurora Mardiganian also contains an annotated reprint of
Mardiganian's original narrative and, for the first time, the full
screenplay. In his introduction, Slide recounts the making of the
film and Mardiganian's life in the United States, involving a cast of
characters including Henry Morgenthau, Mrs. George W. Vanderbilt, Mrs.
Oliver Harriman, and film pioneer William Selig. The introduction
also includes original comments by Aurora Mardiganian, whom Slide
interviewed before her death. Acclaimed Armenian Canadian filmmaker
Atom Egoyan, who created a video art installation about Mardiganian
in 2007, provides a foreword.
Anthony Slide has published more than seventy books on popular
entertainment, including Inside the Hollywood Fan Magazine: A History
of Star Makers, Fabricators, and Gossip Mongers and Hollywood Unknowns:
A History of Extras, Bit Players, and Stand-Ins (both published by
University Press of Mississippi).