Tweet
Turkey, the Legacy of Silence – New Documentary needs your support
Posted by
Garo Kotchounian
February 23, 2015
A documentary and a web-series about four Turks discovering their
Armenian origins… and breaking silence.
BREAKING THE SILENCE
To DONATE or Support this Project Click HERE
For the past two years, driven by a desire to give voice to the
Armenian survivors, we have been working on Turkey, the Legacy of
Silence. We are currently seeking funds to complete the project in
time for a release in April 2015, fundamental date for all the
Armenians of the World. In fact, they will commemorate the century of
the genocide of their ancestors in Anatolia. Staging four similar but
distinct characters, Turkey, the Legacy of Silence is a documentary
and an interactive web series which illustrates the universal story of
secrets and the unsaid.
Through the stories of Nazli, Armen, Dogukan and Yasar, we will reveal
the weight of silence, still burdened by thousands of Armenian
descendant families. Our seek is what has never been told, what has
been hidden for a century.
Armen, Dogukan, Yasar and Nazli are Turks and Kurds. However a
surprising discovery drastically changed their lives : they are also
Armenian. Their parents and grandparents survived the genocide of
1915. They were all assimilated in turkish and kurdish families and
converted to Islam to save their lives. Since then, the secret has
been kept. After a century of silence, History is reappearing.
Actually seeking for their ancestors story, Armen, Dogukan, Yasar and
Nazli are ready for anything : searching, asking, angering, hoping…
Yasar Kurt, famous musician in Turkey, learned at the age of 39 that
he was Armenian. With us at his side, he sets out for the first time
to his great-grandfather’s village, in an attempt to find the traces
of his history.
Armen, 54 years old, found the official registers proving that the
vast majority of his family was decimated in 1915, and that his father
was converted. Today he is trying to give new life to his identity
through the church of Diyarbakir, in Turkish Kurdistan.
Nazli, 36 years old, wants to pass on her long-hidden Armenian
identity to her seven-year-old son. This woman has been fighting with
Turkish authorities for two years in order to enroll her son in an
Armenian school.
Dogukan, 22 years old, made the highly symbolic decision of
reconverting to Christianity. He will be baptized as Sevag, the name
of a murdered Armenian in 2011 during his military service.
During this documentary, we sight to understand why these stories
remained so long in the shadow. Many families were aware of this
reality. But it disappeared from History as if nothing happened. We
now know that they survived at the cost of abandoning their name,
language, religion and most of their traditions.
Why keep silence for a century long ? What has this legacy of silence
hid during decades ? Since ten years now, increasing numbers of Turks
have discovered this familial ans societal secret, maintained by
Turkish state. These people are now proclaiming the Armenian heritage
of their ancestors. Turkey, the Legacy of Silence gives a face to the
descendants of these Islamized Armenians, who number more than a
million people in Turkey today.
A DUTY OF REMEMBRANCE
Turkey, the Legacy of Silence isn’t only the touching story of four
people, this is also a worldwide call to the duty of remembrance.
Among the survivors of the genocide, some fled the country. Others
remained in Turkey. But the price of their survival was high :
assimilation, conversion to Islam, and above all, silence about their
origins. Today, despite the risks, fear and shame,Armen, Dogukan,
Yasar and Nazli have the courage to break the taboo on their Armenian
roots and show their faces. For them, this heritage has finally come
out of oblivion, traditions must be born again, their stories must be
told.
A DOCUMENTARY AND A WEB-SERIES
The documentary :
We are writing a 52′ documentary which will be broadcasted, for the
moment, on a french TV channel : Toute l’Histoire. During the film, we
will be guided by Armen, Dogukan, Yasar and Nazli in Istanbul and
through eastern Turkey and follow them in their Armenian identity
seek. These stories will be enhanced by historical archives and
commented by experts. We can also count on the support of the Institut
Anadolu Kültür in Turkey, an organization striving for dialogue
between Turkey’s different communities.
The five experts of the documentary
Fethiye Çetin. Lawyer and activist for turkish human rights. Her book
My Grandmother : A Memoir relates the story of her Armenian
Grandmother who survived the genocide by converting to Islam.
Ayse Gül Altınay. Turk sociologist. She works on nationalism and the
duty of remembrance. She wrote, with Fethiye Cetin, The Grandchildren,
which presents the testimony of 24 descendants of genocide survivors.
Yves Ternon. French historian. His works concerns crimes against
Humanity and especially the Armenian genocide.
Hamit Bozarslan. History and science politics PHD. He writes about
violence and minorities in Middle East. He’s the author of Histoire de
la Turquie. De l’Empire à nos jours.
Adnan Celik. Kurd anthropologist. He’s one the rare expert about the
islamized Armenians in Diyarbakir.
The web-series :
To reach the younger generations we planned using the medium of video,
easy to use and share, in a form that is familiar to them : the web
series. 5 video episodes of 8 minutes each will be released online
every three days until April 24, 2015. The stories of each character
are rich enough to perfectly adapt to a series format. In parallel to
the central narrative, we have developed 10 chronological markers of
1-2 minutes each (2 per episode), which will portray the events of
1915. Each of them is illustrated by drawings and will be personified
by a voice over.
The public will be invited to offer testimony on the website. This
space will be open for three months, under the careful advance control
of moderators. We will also launch a call to Internet users around the
world so they can answer this question : “Why is it so important to
break the silence ?”
Screen capture of the web-series
Illustrations for the web-series, by Aline Rollin
WHO WE ARE ?
Anna Benjamin, co-author and co-director
I know little about the immigration of my maternal grandparents to
France, or their life in Turkey. My grandfather was from a village
near Ismit. My grandmother was conceived in Istanbul and was born on
the exile road. Today I have decided to tell a part of their story, by
remaining connected to the present.
For Armenians, speaking of the genocide is often a painful moment that
provokes passionate debates. Today, I have found the project that best
depicts my vision : as a young journalist and as an Armenian
descendant, I want to re-establish the memory of the genocide in
modern-day Turkey. I also want to initiate dialogue between the two
communities.
Guillaume Clere, co-author and co-director
I lived for four years in Lebanon, not far from Turkey. The Land of
the Cedars did not experience the genocide, but its problems of
identity led to a terrible civil war that has ended only in
appearance. Most of the people I met saw themselves as Shiite, Druze,
Assyrian or Maronite first, and Lebanese only second.
L’Orient-Le-Jour, I witnessed confrontations in Beirut between Shiites
and Sunnis. Those four years taught me how deadly the question of
identity could be. When Anna told me she intended to work on the
Armenian genocide, I jumped at the chance to join her. The idea about
exploring the topic of silence around identity in a culturally rich
country such as Turkey, strengthened my desire to participate in this
project.
Jules Valeur, sound engineer
He collaborates with a number of documentary production companies
(Ciné Tamaris, Yami 2, Mosaïque Films…). He currently works as a boom
operator and sound engineer for various projects including short and
feature-length films and web documentaries.
Avril Ladauge, web-designer
Always seeking to find the best user experience, I enjoy exploring the
new stories made possible by the digital experience, and utilizing its
tools to tell the stories that move me. When Anna and Guillaume
presented their idea of mixing testimony, web-based participation, and
new technologies, I didn’t hesitate for a second to accept this
beautiful and creative venture.
Aline Rollin, illustrator
She divides her time between sketch reporting, educational
illustration and information graphics. Illustrating Turkey, the Legacy
of Silence has involved the exciting challenge of bringing forth, from
the historical archives, drawings that are noticeable and narrative.
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
At the moment, we went four times in Turkey. We spent one month and a
half scouting Anatolia to find Armenian descendants. Last July, we
spent one month shooting the images of the documentary. Finally, in
december, we went to Istanbul for one last shooting journey.
The intense writing and field work were made possible by the public
and crowd funding we gathered this last year. With the support of our
production company Découpages, we won a writing and production help
allowed by the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l’image animée).
Turkey, The Legacy of Silence won also two categories in the 2014
Première Caméra prize (documentary and web documentary) organized by
Kisskissbankbank, the agency CAPA, France Info (Radio France group)
and the AB Groupe. These financial supports allows us to offer Turkey,
the Legacy of Silence in two forms.
TAKE ACTION
Until April 2015, we still have A LOT to do : Logging, editing,
standardizing, translating, illustrating, developing, testing,
promoting, and then, at last, broadcasting. For the moment, we still
lack funds to edit the web series, develop the web site and translate
the film in english…
To honor the memory of Armenian History, to mark the genocide century
and reveal the silence, this work must be accomplished by the best
professionals. Once that’s done, we have to promote the project
worldwide, outside France. Especially in Armenia, Turkey, United
States, Russia, Argentina, Canada… For every Armenians of the planet,
youth and elders.
Your help will make this film possible !
If you appreciate this project, you can support it financially, you
can share it and talk about it.
Let’s get in contact! Suggestions, remarks, support, anything. Even if
it’s just for a tap in the back, any gesture is significant.
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter !
THANK YOU VERY MUCH !
Anna & Guillaume.
UPDATE NEWS !
January : Editing is reaching to an end! We should be able to show the
movie to festival organizers very soon!
February : Silence! Recording french version voices in the studios.
BROADCASTS
– Valence, April 11th
– Vienne, April 12th
– Paris, to be determined
http://www.aypoupen.com/1961/turkey-the-legacy-of-silence-new-documentary-needs-your-support/
Posted by
Garo Kotchounian
February 23, 2015
A documentary and a web-series about four Turks discovering their
Armenian origins… and breaking silence.
BREAKING THE SILENCE
To DONATE or Support this Project Click HERE
For the past two years, driven by a desire to give voice to the
Armenian survivors, we have been working on Turkey, the Legacy of
Silence. We are currently seeking funds to complete the project in
time for a release in April 2015, fundamental date for all the
Armenians of the World. In fact, they will commemorate the century of
the genocide of their ancestors in Anatolia. Staging four similar but
distinct characters, Turkey, the Legacy of Silence is a documentary
and an interactive web series which illustrates the universal story of
secrets and the unsaid.
Through the stories of Nazli, Armen, Dogukan and Yasar, we will reveal
the weight of silence, still burdened by thousands of Armenian
descendant families. Our seek is what has never been told, what has
been hidden for a century.
Armen, Dogukan, Yasar and Nazli are Turks and Kurds. However a
surprising discovery drastically changed their lives : they are also
Armenian. Their parents and grandparents survived the genocide of
1915. They were all assimilated in turkish and kurdish families and
converted to Islam to save their lives. Since then, the secret has
been kept. After a century of silence, History is reappearing.
Actually seeking for their ancestors story, Armen, Dogukan, Yasar and
Nazli are ready for anything : searching, asking, angering, hoping…
Yasar Kurt, famous musician in Turkey, learned at the age of 39 that
he was Armenian. With us at his side, he sets out for the first time
to his great-grandfather’s village, in an attempt to find the traces
of his history.
Armen, 54 years old, found the official registers proving that the
vast majority of his family was decimated in 1915, and that his father
was converted. Today he is trying to give new life to his identity
through the church of Diyarbakir, in Turkish Kurdistan.
Nazli, 36 years old, wants to pass on her long-hidden Armenian
identity to her seven-year-old son. This woman has been fighting with
Turkish authorities for two years in order to enroll her son in an
Armenian school.
Dogukan, 22 years old, made the highly symbolic decision of
reconverting to Christianity. He will be baptized as Sevag, the name
of a murdered Armenian in 2011 during his military service.
During this documentary, we sight to understand why these stories
remained so long in the shadow. Many families were aware of this
reality. But it disappeared from History as if nothing happened. We
now know that they survived at the cost of abandoning their name,
language, religion and most of their traditions.
Why keep silence for a century long ? What has this legacy of silence
hid during decades ? Since ten years now, increasing numbers of Turks
have discovered this familial ans societal secret, maintained by
Turkish state. These people are now proclaiming the Armenian heritage
of their ancestors. Turkey, the Legacy of Silence gives a face to the
descendants of these Islamized Armenians, who number more than a
million people in Turkey today.
A DUTY OF REMEMBRANCE
Turkey, the Legacy of Silence isn’t only the touching story of four
people, this is also a worldwide call to the duty of remembrance.
Among the survivors of the genocide, some fled the country. Others
remained in Turkey. But the price of their survival was high :
assimilation, conversion to Islam, and above all, silence about their
origins. Today, despite the risks, fear and shame,Armen, Dogukan,
Yasar and Nazli have the courage to break the taboo on their Armenian
roots and show their faces. For them, this heritage has finally come
out of oblivion, traditions must be born again, their stories must be
told.
A DOCUMENTARY AND A WEB-SERIES
The documentary :
We are writing a 52′ documentary which will be broadcasted, for the
moment, on a french TV channel : Toute l’Histoire. During the film, we
will be guided by Armen, Dogukan, Yasar and Nazli in Istanbul and
through eastern Turkey and follow them in their Armenian identity
seek. These stories will be enhanced by historical archives and
commented by experts. We can also count on the support of the Institut
Anadolu Kültür in Turkey, an organization striving for dialogue
between Turkey’s different communities.
The five experts of the documentary
Fethiye Çetin. Lawyer and activist for turkish human rights. Her book
My Grandmother : A Memoir relates the story of her Armenian
Grandmother who survived the genocide by converting to Islam.
Ayse Gül Altınay. Turk sociologist. She works on nationalism and the
duty of remembrance. She wrote, with Fethiye Cetin, The Grandchildren,
which presents the testimony of 24 descendants of genocide survivors.
Yves Ternon. French historian. His works concerns crimes against
Humanity and especially the Armenian genocide.
Hamit Bozarslan. History and science politics PHD. He writes about
violence and minorities in Middle East. He’s the author of Histoire de
la Turquie. De l’Empire à nos jours.
Adnan Celik. Kurd anthropologist. He’s one the rare expert about the
islamized Armenians in Diyarbakir.
The web-series :
To reach the younger generations we planned using the medium of video,
easy to use and share, in a form that is familiar to them : the web
series. 5 video episodes of 8 minutes each will be released online
every three days until April 24, 2015. The stories of each character
are rich enough to perfectly adapt to a series format. In parallel to
the central narrative, we have developed 10 chronological markers of
1-2 minutes each (2 per episode), which will portray the events of
1915. Each of them is illustrated by drawings and will be personified
by a voice over.
The public will be invited to offer testimony on the website. This
space will be open for three months, under the careful advance control
of moderators. We will also launch a call to Internet users around the
world so they can answer this question : “Why is it so important to
break the silence ?”
Screen capture of the web-series
Illustrations for the web-series, by Aline Rollin
WHO WE ARE ?
Anna Benjamin, co-author and co-director
I know little about the immigration of my maternal grandparents to
France, or their life in Turkey. My grandfather was from a village
near Ismit. My grandmother was conceived in Istanbul and was born on
the exile road. Today I have decided to tell a part of their story, by
remaining connected to the present.
For Armenians, speaking of the genocide is often a painful moment that
provokes passionate debates. Today, I have found the project that best
depicts my vision : as a young journalist and as an Armenian
descendant, I want to re-establish the memory of the genocide in
modern-day Turkey. I also want to initiate dialogue between the two
communities.
Guillaume Clere, co-author and co-director
I lived for four years in Lebanon, not far from Turkey. The Land of
the Cedars did not experience the genocide, but its problems of
identity led to a terrible civil war that has ended only in
appearance. Most of the people I met saw themselves as Shiite, Druze,
Assyrian or Maronite first, and Lebanese only second.
L’Orient-Le-Jour, I witnessed confrontations in Beirut between Shiites
and Sunnis. Those four years taught me how deadly the question of
identity could be. When Anna told me she intended to work on the
Armenian genocide, I jumped at the chance to join her. The idea about
exploring the topic of silence around identity in a culturally rich
country such as Turkey, strengthened my desire to participate in this
project.
Jules Valeur, sound engineer
He collaborates with a number of documentary production companies
(Ciné Tamaris, Yami 2, Mosaïque Films…). He currently works as a boom
operator and sound engineer for various projects including short and
feature-length films and web documentaries.
Avril Ladauge, web-designer
Always seeking to find the best user experience, I enjoy exploring the
new stories made possible by the digital experience, and utilizing its
tools to tell the stories that move me. When Anna and Guillaume
presented their idea of mixing testimony, web-based participation, and
new technologies, I didn’t hesitate for a second to accept this
beautiful and creative venture.
Aline Rollin, illustrator
She divides her time between sketch reporting, educational
illustration and information graphics. Illustrating Turkey, the Legacy
of Silence has involved the exciting challenge of bringing forth, from
the historical archives, drawings that are noticeable and narrative.
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
At the moment, we went four times in Turkey. We spent one month and a
half scouting Anatolia to find Armenian descendants. Last July, we
spent one month shooting the images of the documentary. Finally, in
december, we went to Istanbul for one last shooting journey.
The intense writing and field work were made possible by the public
and crowd funding we gathered this last year. With the support of our
production company Découpages, we won a writing and production help
allowed by the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l’image animée).
Turkey, The Legacy of Silence won also two categories in the 2014
Première Caméra prize (documentary and web documentary) organized by
Kisskissbankbank, the agency CAPA, France Info (Radio France group)
and the AB Groupe. These financial supports allows us to offer Turkey,
the Legacy of Silence in two forms.
TAKE ACTION
Until April 2015, we still have A LOT to do : Logging, editing,
standardizing, translating, illustrating, developing, testing,
promoting, and then, at last, broadcasting. For the moment, we still
lack funds to edit the web series, develop the web site and translate
the film in english…
To honor the memory of Armenian History, to mark the genocide century
and reveal the silence, this work must be accomplished by the best
professionals. Once that’s done, we have to promote the project
worldwide, outside France. Especially in Armenia, Turkey, United
States, Russia, Argentina, Canada… For every Armenians of the planet,
youth and elders.
Your help will make this film possible !
If you appreciate this project, you can support it financially, you
can share it and talk about it.
Let’s get in contact! Suggestions, remarks, support, anything. Even if
it’s just for a tap in the back, any gesture is significant.
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter !
THANK YOU VERY MUCH !
Anna & Guillaume.
UPDATE NEWS !
January : Editing is reaching to an end! We should be able to show the
movie to festival organizers very soon!
February : Silence! Recording french version voices in the studios.
BROADCASTS
– Valence, April 11th
– Vienne, April 12th
– Paris, to be determined
http://www.aypoupen.com/1961/turkey-the-legacy-of-silence-new-documentary-needs-your-support/