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ARMENIANS AND GREEKS BEGIN PETITION ON RUSSELL CROWE'S LATEST MOVIE
11:12, 16 January, 2015
YEREVAN, JANAURY 16, ARMENPRESS. The latest movie by the Australian
actor Russell Crowe caused a lot of noise in the Diaspora.
It was originally represented as a historical movie telling about the
genocide of the Armenian and Greek people during the WWI in the Ottoman
Empire. But, actually, the historical facts have been distorted in
the movie and the audience can encounter solely the Turkish standpoint
on the historical events. A number of internet users called the move
"Turkish Diviner".
As reports "Armenpress", a huge wave of protest was raised regarding
the movie in the United States and Australia. The Spectator published
a vast article on the movie. The prominent periodical characterized
the movie as "a huge disappointment" and particularly underscored:
"This highly sentimentalised and rather pointless attempt to depict
the human dimension of the Gallipoli campaign, as experienced by an
Aussie father (Crowe) searching for the bodies of his three sons,
fails both as plausible drama and as an honest attempt to confront
the actual behaviour of the enemy (the Ottoman empire), not to mention
the moral justification for the terrible sacrifice of Allied lives.
On that last point, distinguished British historian Jeremy Black
recently wrote: 'The current fashion for commemorating the dead
by honouring their struggle does not in fact honour them unless we
explain why they were fighting and facing the personal, moral and
religious challenges of risking and inflicting death. Why did men
volunteer in 1914? Why did they advance across the 'killing ground'?
To mark the struggle without recalling its point and value is both
to lack a moral compass and, indeed, not really to seek one'.
Leaving aside aesthetic considerations, the fact is the film's lack
of any historical context is breathtaking. There are many, but there
is one really glaring omission.
It so happens that the well-documented genocide of the Armenians at
the hands of the Turks was initiated on the day immediately before
the Gallipoli landing, an overlap that traditionally receives hardly
a mention from Australian historians, and no reference whatsoever in
this film.
The mass murder of this ancient Christian community made no exception
for women and children and was conducted with a barbarity that
shocked even officers of the Ottoman's German allies, some of whom
witnessed the gruesome scenes first hand, as did missionaries and
other outsiders.
The moral issue at stake is neatly captured in the subtitle of
Robertson's recently published book on the genocide: 'Who now remembers
the annihilation of the Armenians?' It was Hitler's comment to his
generals on the eve of the invasion of Poland urging them to show no
mercy as there would be no retribution. It's all part of 'the other
side of the Gallipoli story' that Russell Crowe somehow didn't get
around to even hinting at."
In this regard, "Horizon Weekly" stated: "The Water Diviner, as a
"fundamentally silly film" and slammed it for not referring to the
Armenian Genocide.
Stanley, the former head of Historical Research and Principal Historian
at the Australian War Memorial, has written an extensive account
on the historical inaccuracies of this movie, which claims to be
"inspired by true events".
He adds: "There isn't any reference to the massacres of Armenians that
were such an important part of the last years of the Ottoman Empire.
That's true, but it seems to me that the Armenian agony simply has
no relevance to the film's plot, risible though the plot is."
Under the guise of World War I, the Ottoman Turkish government
implemented and carried out the first genocide of the 20th century
against16/1/2015 Armenians and Greeks begin petition on Russell
Crowe's latest movie |
its Armenian population, as well as Greeks and Assyrians. Turkey
continues to run an international campaign of denial.
Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia,
Vache Kahramanian, remarked: "It is not unsurprising that Turkey
is heavily promoting this film, which aim to portray the Turk as a
victim, even though one of the greatest crimes against humanity was
committed against its Armenian subjects from 1915 to 1923."
The Water Diviner, already out in Australian cinemas, is scheduled
to premiere in the United States on the Centenary anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, the 24th of April, 2015.
Also, Horizon weekly stated: "Russell Crowe's The Water Diviner,
has offended many descendants of genocide survivors - Greeks and
Armenians alike - through its false portrayal of the events during
the period which the film is set. There has been public outrage on
our Facebook page, and for that reason, we've drafted a letter which
you may use to voice your opinion. You may address it to whomever you
choose, however we have listed some recommendations at the bottom of
the draft (see below) including Andrew Anastasios the screenwriter,
and The Rabbitohs Rugby League team which Crowe is shareholder of,
and which is currently chaired by a good friend of Crowe's, Dr Nick
Pappas. Let's stand up and be a voice for our ancestors who were
brutally massacred during that period!"
Article by HASMIK HARUTYUNYAN
ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency
http://armenpress.am/eng/print/790511/armenians-and-greeks-begin-petition-on-russell-crowes-latest-movie.html
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11:12, 16 January, 2015
YEREVAN, JANAURY 16, ARMENPRESS. The latest movie by the Australian
actor Russell Crowe caused a lot of noise in the Diaspora.
It was originally represented as a historical movie telling about the
genocide of the Armenian and Greek people during the WWI in the Ottoman
Empire. But, actually, the historical facts have been distorted in
the movie and the audience can encounter solely the Turkish standpoint
on the historical events. A number of internet users called the move
"Turkish Diviner".
As reports "Armenpress", a huge wave of protest was raised regarding
the movie in the United States and Australia. The Spectator published
a vast article on the movie. The prominent periodical characterized
the movie as "a huge disappointment" and particularly underscored:
"This highly sentimentalised and rather pointless attempt to depict
the human dimension of the Gallipoli campaign, as experienced by an
Aussie father (Crowe) searching for the bodies of his three sons,
fails both as plausible drama and as an honest attempt to confront
the actual behaviour of the enemy (the Ottoman empire), not to mention
the moral justification for the terrible sacrifice of Allied lives.
On that last point, distinguished British historian Jeremy Black
recently wrote: 'The current fashion for commemorating the dead
by honouring their struggle does not in fact honour them unless we
explain why they were fighting and facing the personal, moral and
religious challenges of risking and inflicting death. Why did men
volunteer in 1914? Why did they advance across the 'killing ground'?
To mark the struggle without recalling its point and value is both
to lack a moral compass and, indeed, not really to seek one'.
Leaving aside aesthetic considerations, the fact is the film's lack
of any historical context is breathtaking. There are many, but there
is one really glaring omission.
It so happens that the well-documented genocide of the Armenians at
the hands of the Turks was initiated on the day immediately before
the Gallipoli landing, an overlap that traditionally receives hardly
a mention from Australian historians, and no reference whatsoever in
this film.
The mass murder of this ancient Christian community made no exception
for women and children and was conducted with a barbarity that
shocked even officers of the Ottoman's German allies, some of whom
witnessed the gruesome scenes first hand, as did missionaries and
other outsiders.
The moral issue at stake is neatly captured in the subtitle of
Robertson's recently published book on the genocide: 'Who now remembers
the annihilation of the Armenians?' It was Hitler's comment to his
generals on the eve of the invasion of Poland urging them to show no
mercy as there would be no retribution. It's all part of 'the other
side of the Gallipoli story' that Russell Crowe somehow didn't get
around to even hinting at."
In this regard, "Horizon Weekly" stated: "The Water Diviner, as a
"fundamentally silly film" and slammed it for not referring to the
Armenian Genocide.
Stanley, the former head of Historical Research and Principal Historian
at the Australian War Memorial, has written an extensive account
on the historical inaccuracies of this movie, which claims to be
"inspired by true events".
He adds: "There isn't any reference to the massacres of Armenians that
were such an important part of the last years of the Ottoman Empire.
That's true, but it seems to me that the Armenian agony simply has
no relevance to the film's plot, risible though the plot is."
Under the guise of World War I, the Ottoman Turkish government
implemented and carried out the first genocide of the 20th century
against16/1/2015 Armenians and Greeks begin petition on Russell
Crowe's latest movie |
its Armenian population, as well as Greeks and Assyrians. Turkey
continues to run an international campaign of denial.
Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia,
Vache Kahramanian, remarked: "It is not unsurprising that Turkey
is heavily promoting this film, which aim to portray the Turk as a
victim, even though one of the greatest crimes against humanity was
committed against its Armenian subjects from 1915 to 1923."
The Water Diviner, already out in Australian cinemas, is scheduled
to premiere in the United States on the Centenary anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, the 24th of April, 2015.
Also, Horizon weekly stated: "Russell Crowe's The Water Diviner,
has offended many descendants of genocide survivors - Greeks and
Armenians alike - through its false portrayal of the events during
the period which the film is set. There has been public outrage on
our Facebook page, and for that reason, we've drafted a letter which
you may use to voice your opinion. You may address it to whomever you
choose, however we have listed some recommendations at the bottom of
the draft (see below) including Andrew Anastasios the screenwriter,
and The Rabbitohs Rugby League team which Crowe is shareholder of,
and which is currently chaired by a good friend of Crowe's, Dr Nick
Pappas. Let's stand up and be a voice for our ancestors who were
brutally massacred during that period!"
Article by HASMIK HARUTYUNYAN
ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency
http://armenpress.am/eng/print/790511/armenians-and-greeks-begin-petition-on-russell-crowes-latest-movie.html
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