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Aram (film)
Encyclopedia
Aram is a fictional action movie
placed in France
in 1993 and 2001, wherein French-Armenian
fighters supply arms to Nagorno-Karabakh
and attempt to kill a visiting Turkish
diplomat
. It was released in 2002 in theatres in France, and made its American debut in 2004 at the Armenian Film Festival in San Francisco.
youth in mostly Western Europe beginning in 1973 and lasting until 1994 during which Armenian assassins killed representatives of the state of Turkey
in order to gain public awareness of the forgotten (at the time) Armenian Genocide
. The two prevailing groups at the time were ASALA
and the Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide; the film references a (fictional) group called the Armenian Genocide Justiciaries Secret Army. The film also reflects the support these same groups had for the Armenian war of liberation in Karabakh
from 1988 to 1993.
during the Karabakh war
, sometime between 1988 and 1993. Armenian women, children, and the elderly are shown hiding in bomb shelters and being airlifted to safety.
Aram Sarkissian is a young French-Armenian member of AGJSA who has abruptly left his family in Paris
and gone to fight in the war of liberation, convinced that the Armenian struggle lies not in criminal assassinations of Turkish diplomats in Europe, but rather in defending the Armenian homeland, which includes Karabakh
.
Levon moves forward with the plan, and Aram, it turns out, has reluctantly agreed. During the evening, the Mercedes in which the Turkish general is riding in is ambushed by 3 masked gunmen. The assassins shoot and kill three of the four passengers. The fourth man, sitting in the passenger's seat, pretended to be dead from the impact, and as the assassins flee, shoots Levon, immobilizing him. This fourth man is the Turkish general's aide-de-camp, Colonel Talaat Sonlez. The assassins shoot him and flee. The AGJSA claims responsibility for the attack, justifying it by reminding that General Djelik was the Black Wolves boss, a Turkish fascist organization.
Talaat survives; Levon is in a coma; and the other assassins have fled. Talaat searches for his killers, but to no avail, as Mr. Paul, the French counter-terrorism secret policeman does not reveal their identities
s (to be used by Armenian forces in Karabakh
) with Kurdish militants led by Midzametin (the head of the Kurdistan Party
in Europe). Also present is Djalal, Midzametin's right-hand man, who's visibly hostile to the deal. The Kurds offer only 200 rifles at a price of $800,000. However, there is a catch for the Armenians: they would have to provide support for assassinations against Turkish diplomats on behalf of the Kurds, if the Turkish Army launches a new offensive in the Kurdish regions of Southeastern Turkey. Vartan reluctantly agrees, and the deal is closed.
in Northern France to pick up Aram, who has been smuggled to France in a cargo ship from Karabakh
. His mission is to escort the arms (sniper rifle
s) from France to their destination: Karabakh. Meanwhile, Virgil, a French secret policeman working on behalf of Mr. Paul, photographs Aram's arrival. Mr. Paul has been monitoring the activities of the AGJSA on whom he keeps a file.
Aram meets with Vartan, where they drink and toast. Vartan, who is coordinating the deal, informs Aram that Kervedjian is in charge of the delivery end of the weapons with the Kurds. It's unclear when the weapons will be available, but they should arrive within days. Aram reveals his reservations over Vartan's promises to the Kurds of support for criminal assassinations, which to him seem to be ineffective, even undesirable for the Armenian cause, and for any cause, for that matter. (This perhaps highlights one of the messages the film director wants to get across in this film.) Vartan brings up his suspicions on Djalal, Midzametin's right-hand man who seemed hostile to the transaction and who was asking too many questions. Vartan doesn't know much about him, except that he's a new personality. Aram auspiciously tells Vartan to be careful, as if hinting to events that will unfold.
At the rendezvous-point, an isolated beach, Aram and friends are greeted by Djalal in the cover of night. Vartan goes first and never reappears. Instead, Talaat appears from the dark and the gang of Turks open fire on Aram and friends, and Aram's other comrade is killed. Aram manages to kill Djalal, and narrowly escapes, as his comrade, who also gets killed, tells him to flee.
Unaware of Djalal's betrayal, Aram first suspects that Kervedjian (a Karabakh diplomat residing in Paris) has betrayed him and his friends. He abducts Kervedjian and threatens his life is he does not explain what happened.
Meanwhile, Mr. Paul, with knowledge of Talaat's involvement in the previous night's killing, visits Talaat at a Turkish bath. Paul asks Talaat what he's doing in France again, after he had told him not to come back in 1993. Talaat says he's in France on an official (government) mission and has been named cultural attache. But Paul reveals his knowledge that Talaat is a Black Wolves boss and that he is involved in the Turkish mafia. Paul makes it clear that his presence is not wanted in France. Talaat arrogantly claims that the Armenian Genocide
is as little a reality as is the Kurdish one.
. Although he assassinates 4 members of Talaat's party, including Talaat's girlfriend Nassima, he fails to kill Talaat and his aide, Mehmet.
Back at the Turkish embassy, Talaat is furious over Nassima's death and instructs Mehmet to find his assassins and kill them.
Kervedjian provides Aram with details of the new operation: Aram will travel as a French doctor; collect the weapons (hidden inside a case of medical supplies) from the Northern harbor port at Dunkurque (about 4 hours from Paris) from a Kurdish doctor; and escort the weapons to Athens, from where he will head to Karabakh. Aram hands Kervedjian the money for the weapons (the money was originally provided by Vartan).
Talaat arranges a meeting with Mr. Paul at a public location. He wants to provide information on the Kurdistan party as well as other information on the Islamic terror network that he claims to know, in exchange for the identity of the person trying to kill him. Paul turns down the offer. As Paul and Virgil walk away, Talaat makes a gesture to Mehmet as to harm one of the two.
Mehmet and his gang abduct Virgil as he's about to enter his apartment.
Upon leaving the Sarkissian residence, Aram is chased by Mr. Paul and his associate, Dailland, who have been tracking him and positively identify him, for the first time, as Aram Sarkissian, who was supposedly officially killed in Karabakh. Aram flees and Paul fails to arrest him.
Back at the hotel, we see a more human side of Aram, as he helps a beaten female neighbor back to her room.
, with a traditional Armenian Apostolic marriage ceremony. Aram is present.
Meanwhile, Paul speaks privately with Fodil Boushaour. Fodil claims that the last he heard from Aram was 7 years ago, and that he rests in a grave in Northern Karabakh
. Given that Talaat has turned the matter into personal business for Paul (with Virgil's life at stake) Paul seems to have allied with Aram and Fodil in order to see justice done against Talaat. Paul informs Fodil that Talaat now knows about Aram Sarkissian and his friends, and that Talaat's out to get them.
Fodil warns Aram who's riding with Saad and Mamad. They turn around to go to the marriage party. At the party, Talaat and Mehmet make an appearance. The two ambush Mihran and Levon in the restroom. As Talaat aims to kill Mihran, who's being held at knife point by Mehmet, Aram shoots Talaat and Mehmet, in this climax of the movie.
Aram leaves the scene and has Saad and Mamad drive him north to Dunkerque, as Paul looks on outside.
, two cars approach him quickly: out come armed secret police
from one car and Paul, along with Aram's father, Mihran, from the other. Aram and his father say goodbye without words, and Mihran quietly redeems his son. Showing his sympathy towards Aram, instead of arresting him, Paul asks Aram to leave and to never return to France
.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
placed in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1993 and 2001, wherein French-Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
fighters supply arms to Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
and attempt to kill a visiting Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. It was released in 2002 in theatres in France, and made its American debut in 2004 at the Armenian Film Festival in San Francisco.
Background
Historically, the film is loosely based on the militant activity of small groups of ArmenianArmenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
youth in mostly Western Europe beginning in 1973 and lasting until 1994 during which Armenian assassins killed representatives of the state of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in order to gain public awareness of the forgotten (at the time) Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. The two prevailing groups at the time were ASALA
Asala
Asala may refer to:* Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia, a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla organization.* Asalah Nasri, Syrian singer* Al Asalah, a Salafist political party in Bahrain...
and the Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide; the film references a (fictional) group called the Armenian Genocide Justiciaries Secret Army. The film also reflects the support these same groups had for the Armenian war of liberation in Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
from 1988 to 1993.
Armenian War of Liberation: Karabakh – late 1980s to 1993
The film opens with scenes from the Armenian positionsKarabakh
The Karabakh horse , also known as Karabakh, is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the geographic region where the horse was originally developed, Karabakh in the Southern Caucasus, an area that is de jure part of Azerbaijan but the highland part of which is currently...
during the Karabakh war
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
, sometime between 1988 and 1993. Armenian women, children, and the elderly are shown hiding in bomb shelters and being airlifted to safety.
Aram Sarkissian is a young French-Armenian member of AGJSA who has abruptly left his family in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and gone to fight in the war of liberation, convinced that the Armenian struggle lies not in criminal assassinations of Turkish diplomats in Europe, but rather in defending the Armenian homeland, which includes Karabakh
Karabakh
The Karabakh horse , also known as Karabakh, is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the geographic region where the horse was originally developed, Karabakh in the Southern Caucasus, an area that is de jure part of Azerbaijan but the highland part of which is currently...
.
1993: Return to France, Assassination, Hiding
Near the end of the war, around October 1993, Aram returns to France to live a “normal life” again. However, upon his return, Aram finds out that his younger brother, Levon, is preparing a new assassination, this time against the general of the Turkish Army, Mr Azbalan Djelik, who is visiting France. Aram fiercely opposes this new plan, claiming that the Armenian struggle lies in Artsakh. Levon, however is firm in his stance and considers Aram to be a coward.Levon moves forward with the plan, and Aram, it turns out, has reluctantly agreed. During the evening, the Mercedes in which the Turkish general is riding in is ambushed by 3 masked gunmen. The assassins shoot and kill three of the four passengers. The fourth man, sitting in the passenger's seat, pretended to be dead from the impact, and as the assassins flee, shoots Levon, immobilizing him. This fourth man is the Turkish general's aide-de-camp, Colonel Talaat Sonlez. The assassins shoot him and flee. The AGJSA claims responsibility for the attack, justifying it by reminding that General Djelik was the Black Wolves boss, a Turkish fascist organization.
Talaat survives; Levon is in a coma; and the other assassins have fled. Talaat searches for his killers, but to no avail, as Mr. Paul, the French counter-terrorism secret policeman does not reveal their identities
Sarkissian Family
The next scene is in January, 2001, at the Sarkissians' residence in Paris. Levon is paralyzed, cannot speak, and is bound to a wheelchair; the father (Mihran Sarkissian) is bitter over what he thinks is Aram's responsibility in exploiting his younger brother's admiration for him and luring him into this criminal attempt that ultimately rendered him paralyzed. It becomes clear that Aram's whereabout have not been known to the family since the attack. Meanwhile, Meline, the younger sister, is introduced; she is engaged to be married to a Frenchman, something her father approves reluctantly, and is frowned upon by his friends.Arms Deal
In the windy, desolate prairies of Germany, Vartan (AGJSA leader) and friends negotiate an arms deal for 300 high-tech sniper rifleSniper rifle
In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...
s (to be used by Armenian forces in Karabakh
Karabakh
The Karabakh horse , also known as Karabakh, is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the geographic region where the horse was originally developed, Karabakh in the Southern Caucasus, an area that is de jure part of Azerbaijan but the highland part of which is currently...
) with Kurdish militants led by Midzametin (the head of the Kurdistan Party
Kurdistan Workers Party
The Kurdistan Workers' Party , commonly known as PKK, also known as KGK and formerly known as KADEK or KONGRA-GEL , is a Kurdish organization which has since 1984 been fighting an armed struggle against the Turkish state for an autonomous Kurdistan and greater cultural and political rights...
in Europe). Also present is Djalal, Midzametin's right-hand man, who's visibly hostile to the deal. The Kurds offer only 200 rifles at a price of $800,000. However, there is a catch for the Armenians: they would have to provide support for assassinations against Turkish diplomats on behalf of the Kurds, if the Turkish Army launches a new offensive in the Kurdish regions of Southeastern Turkey. Vartan reluctantly agrees, and the deal is closed.
Aram Returns to France
In the next scene, a car pulls up to the harbor of the port city of CalaisCalais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
in Northern France to pick up Aram, who has been smuggled to France in a cargo ship from Karabakh
Karabakh
The Karabakh horse , also known as Karabakh, is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the geographic region where the horse was originally developed, Karabakh in the Southern Caucasus, an area that is de jure part of Azerbaijan but the highland part of which is currently...
. His mission is to escort the arms (sniper rifle
Sniper rifle
In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...
s) from France to their destination: Karabakh. Meanwhile, Virgil, a French secret policeman working on behalf of Mr. Paul, photographs Aram's arrival. Mr. Paul has been monitoring the activities of the AGJSA on whom he keeps a file.
Aram meets with Vartan, where they drink and toast. Vartan, who is coordinating the deal, informs Aram that Kervedjian is in charge of the delivery end of the weapons with the Kurds. It's unclear when the weapons will be available, but they should arrive within days. Aram reveals his reservations over Vartan's promises to the Kurds of support for criminal assassinations, which to him seem to be ineffective, even undesirable for the Armenian cause, and for any cause, for that matter. (This perhaps highlights one of the messages the film director wants to get across in this film.) Vartan brings up his suspicions on Djalal, Midzametin's right-hand man who seemed hostile to the transaction and who was asking too many questions. Vartan doesn't know much about him, except that he's a new personality. Aram auspiciously tells Vartan to be careful, as if hinting to events that will unfold.
Betrayal
Aram, Vartan, and friends prepare for the weapons-money exhange. The Kurds prepare the arms for shipment in a van. En-route to the rendezvous-point, the Kurdish driver of the van is killed with a drive-by machete blow by Talaat, who we see for the first time since 1993. The man who betrayed the Kurds (and the Armenians) is none other than Djalal, who has been cooperating with the Turkish side...At the rendezvous-point, an isolated beach, Aram and friends are greeted by Djalal in the cover of night. Vartan goes first and never reappears. Instead, Talaat appears from the dark and the gang of Turks open fire on Aram and friends, and Aram's other comrade is killed. Aram manages to kill Djalal, and narrowly escapes, as his comrade, who also gets killed, tells him to flee.
Seeking Vengeance
A wounded Aram makes checks into an apartment and recovers from his injuries. The next morning, Virgil is at the crime scene and concludes that the destroyed car is the same as the one that had picked up Aram the night before.Unaware of Djalal's betrayal, Aram first suspects that Kervedjian (a Karabakh diplomat residing in Paris) has betrayed him and his friends. He abducts Kervedjian and threatens his life is he does not explain what happened.
Meanwhile, Mr. Paul, with knowledge of Talaat's involvement in the previous night's killing, visits Talaat at a Turkish bath. Paul asks Talaat what he's doing in France again, after he had told him not to come back in 1993. Talaat says he's in France on an official (government) mission and has been named cultural attache. But Paul reveals his knowledge that Talaat is a Black Wolves boss and that he is involved in the Turkish mafia. Paul makes it clear that his presence is not wanted in France. Talaat arrogantly claims that the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
is as little a reality as is the Kurdish one.
Old Friend
In Paris, Aram seeks the help of his long-time Arab friend, Fodil Boushaour, with whom he has had a relationship-building experience in prison, perhaps because of other joint ventures. Fodil provides him with new handguns, a car, and a driver's license. Fodil's two Arab friends, Saad and Mamad, are entrusted to Aram to help him on the rest of his mission.The Sarkissians
At home, Mihran Sarkissian is upset that her daughter is losing traditions and shows a lack of respect for the family, too interested in her fiance. Mihran and Meline argue over Aram: whether he's alive or not, whether he was a good person. Mihran expresses his complete bitterness towards Aram, that he's a murderer and is responsible for Levon's condition; Meline shows her sympathy toward Aram, given her limited knowledge of her oldest brother.Reunion with Meline
The next morning, Aram finds Meline and they spend time catching up. When he finds out that his father blames him for what happened to Levon, Aram explains to her that it was not his fault, that he was against the attack from the beginning, and that Levon was the one who insisted.A New Deal
Aram finds Kervedjian again, who informs him of Djalal's betrayal and cooperation with the Turkish government. Aram is still suspicious of Kervedjian, but he agrees to follow through with the new plan: in a new deal, the Kurds are to deliver the weapons in the next few days; Aram is charged with killing the Turks involved in the betrayal (Talaat and party); Aram will again escort the weapons. This time around, the payment will be made only after the weapons have been delivered and after Aram's safe return.Reunion with Levon
Aram is united with his paralyzed brother, escorted by Meline, at a public park. Meline invites Aram to her wedding and asks to reconcile with their father.Hammam Killings
As part of the new deal, Aram tracks down Talaat and friends at a Turkish bathHammam
A Turkish bath is the Turkish variant of a steam bath, sauna or Russian Bath, distinguished by a focus on water, as distinct from ambient steam....
. Although he assassinates 4 members of Talaat's party, including Talaat's girlfriend Nassima, he fails to kill Talaat and his aide, Mehmet.
Back at the Turkish embassy, Talaat is furious over Nassima's death and instructs Mehmet to find his assassins and kill them.
Kervedjian provides Aram with details of the new operation: Aram will travel as a French doctor; collect the weapons (hidden inside a case of medical supplies) from the Northern harbor port at Dunkurque (about 4 hours from Paris) from a Kurdish doctor; and escort the weapons to Athens, from where he will head to Karabakh. Aram hands Kervedjian the money for the weapons (the money was originally provided by Vartan).
Talaat arranges a meeting with Mr. Paul at a public location. He wants to provide information on the Kurdistan party as well as other information on the Islamic terror network that he claims to know, in exchange for the identity of the person trying to kill him. Paul turns down the offer. As Paul and Virgil walk away, Talaat makes a gesture to Mehmet as to harm one of the two.
Mehmet and his gang abduct Virgil as he's about to enter his apartment.
Reunion with Father
Aram visits his family at their home. His father doesn't accept his presence, and furiously asks him to leave, striking him with his cane. Aram takes the beating and leaves, without explaining his side of the story...Upon leaving the Sarkissian residence, Aram is chased by Mr. Paul and his associate, Dailland, who have been tracking him and positively identify him, for the first time, as Aram Sarkissian, who was supposedly officially killed in Karabakh. Aram flees and Paul fails to arrest him.
Back at the hotel, we see a more human side of Aram, as he helps a beaten female neighbor back to her room.
Talaat the Butcher
At the counter-terrorism office, Paul receives a package from Talaat: it contains an amputated finger of Virgil, his watch, and a note to Paul (likely threatening Virgil's life if Paul doesn't hand over the identity of the assassin trying to kill him). Paul tells Dailland to arrest Fodil Boushaour. Paul calls the Turkish embassy and reveals Aram's and his friends' identities.Marriage of Meline
Méliné and Stefan get married in a cathedralCathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, with a traditional Armenian Apostolic marriage ceremony. Aram is present.
Meanwhile, Paul speaks privately with Fodil Boushaour. Fodil claims that the last he heard from Aram was 7 years ago, and that he rests in a grave in Northern Karabakh
Shahumian
The Shahumian Region is a disputed region, formerly a district of Azerbaijan SSR outside of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. Before the Nagorno-Karabakh War of the 1990s, the region had a substantial Armenian population...
. Given that Talaat has turned the matter into personal business for Paul (with Virgil's life at stake) Paul seems to have allied with Aram and Fodil in order to see justice done against Talaat. Paul informs Fodil that Talaat now knows about Aram Sarkissian and his friends, and that Talaat's out to get them.
Fodil warns Aram who's riding with Saad and Mamad. They turn around to go to the marriage party. At the party, Talaat and Mehmet make an appearance. The two ambush Mihran and Levon in the restroom. As Talaat aims to kill Mihran, who's being held at knife point by Mehmet, Aram shoots Talaat and Mehmet, in this climax of the movie.
Aram leaves the scene and has Saad and Mamad drive him north to Dunkerque, as Paul looks on outside.
Exile from France, Back to Karabakh
Aram reaches Dunkerque by dawn. As he enters the ship that will take him to AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, two cars approach him quickly: out come armed secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
from one car and Paul, along with Aram's father, Mihran, from the other. Aram and his father say goodbye without words, and Mihran quietly redeems his son. Showing his sympathy towards Aram, instead of arresting him, Paul asks Aram to leave and to never return to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Simon Abkarian Simon Abkarian Simon Abkarian is a French-Armenian actor.Born in Gonesse, Val d'Oise, of Armenian descent, Abkarian spent his childhood in Lebanon. He moved to Los Angeles, where he joined an Armenian theater company managed by Gerald Papazian. He returned to France in 1985, settling in Paris... |
Aram Sarkissian |
| Lubna Azabal Lubna Azabal Lubna Azabal is a Belgian actress, born in Brussels to a Moroccan father and a Spanish mother. After studing at the Conservatoire royal of Brussels, she began a theatrical career in Belgium. In 1997, she took her first film role when Belgian film-maker Vincent Lannoo chose her to act beside Olivier... |
Méliné Sarkissian |
| Serge Avédikian Serge Avedikian Serge Avedikian , sometimes credited as Serje Avetikian, is an Armenian-French film and theatre actor, director, writer and producer, winner of Cannes Festival prize.-Early life:... |
Talaat Sonlez |
| Alain Mottet | Miran Sarkissian |
| Mathieu Demy Mathieu Demy Mathieu Demy is a French actor and director, born 15 October 1972 in Paris. He is the son of Agnès Varda and Jacques Demy.- Filmography :*1988 : Kung-Fu Master*1993 : À la belle étoile with Julie Gayet, Chiara Mastroianni... |
Lévon Sarkissian |
| Gilles Arbona | Monsieur Paul |
| Isabelle Sadoyan Isabelle Sadoyan Isabelle Sadoyan is a French actress. She was the wife of actor Jean Bouise. Her filmography includes films by Jeanne Moreau, Claude Chabrol, Claude Lelouch, Luc Besson, Jean-Luc Godard, Henri Verneuil, Bertrand Tavernier, Robert Kechichian and Krzysztof Kieślowski.-Filmography:* 1969 : Les... |
Tante Anouche |
| Olivier Loustau | Mehmet |
| Marc Samuel | Vartan Madarian |
DVD release
Although the American debut featured English subtitles, there is no DVD being sold which contains English subtitles.Trivia
- The Black Wolves, the Turkish fascist organization of which General Djelik and Talaat Sonlez are leaders, is likely a reference to the Grey WolvesGrey WolvesThe Idealist Youth , commonly known as Grey Wolves , is an ultra-nationalist neo-fascist youth organization. It is accused of terrorism. According to Turkish authorities, the organization carried out 694 murders between 1974–1980.-Name:...
, an ultra-nationalist Turkish organization with ties to the Turkish mafia, counter-insurgency movements within Turkey, and repression of the ASALAAsalaAsala may refer to:* Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia, a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla organization.* Asalah Nasri, Syrian singer* Al Asalah, a Salafist political party in Bahrain...
and the PKK. - The choice of "Talaat" as the name of the lead Turkish character might be a reminder of Talaat Pasha, a leader in the Young TurkYoung TurksThe Young Turks , from French: Les Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favouring reformation of the administration of the Ottoman Empire. The movement was against the absolute monarchy of the Ottoman Sultan and favoured a re-installation of the short-lived Kanûn-ı Esâsî constitution...
government and Minister of the Interior during the Armenian GenocideArmenian GenocideThe Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
, and therefore one of the key figures in organizing the Armenian Genocide. - In real life, Abdullah ÇatlıAbdullah ÇatliAbdullah Çatlı was a Turkish convicted drug trafficker, and contract killer for the Counter-Guerrilla. He led the youth branch of the Nationalist Movement Party...
was a Turkish ultra-nationalist who was second in command of the Grey WolvesGrey WolvesThe Idealist Youth , commonly known as Grey Wolves , is an ultra-nationalist neo-fascist youth organization. It is accused of terrorism. According to Turkish authorities, the organization carried out 694 murders between 1974–1980.-Name:...
; the character of Talaat Sonlez closely resembles this man. Incidentally, one of Abdullah ÇatlıAbdullah ÇatliAbdullah Çatlı was a Turkish convicted drug trafficker, and contract killer for the Counter-Guerrilla. He led the youth branch of the Nationalist Movement Party...
's operatives in real life is named MehmetMehmet Ali AgcaMehmet Ali Ağca is a Turkish assassin who murdered left-wing journalist Abdi İpekçi on February 1, 1979 and later shot and wounded Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981, after escaping from a Turkish prison. After serving 19 years of imprisonment in Italy, he was deported to Turkey, where he served a...
, as was Talaat Sonlez's operative.
External links
- Aram at Real Movie News
- Aram at Z Review
- 2004 Armenian Film Festival schedule