1915 DENOUNCES THE FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE WAR CRIMES
In 1915, the Ottoman Empire, allied with Germany, decided to force millions of Armenians out of Turkey toward Armenia. They were not transported by bus or train; instead, many were forced to walk in what became a death march. Armenians want the world to acknowledge that the Turks committed genocide, but they have enjoyed little diplomatic or juridical success with allies of Turkey. The film 1915, directed by Garin Hovannisian and Alec Mouhibian, is one effort to bring the matter to public attention—not only to non-Armenians but also as a lecture to Armenians; in the words of the film’s tagline, “You can’t escape the past.” Instead of a straightforward documentary or dramatization, 1915 is about a play with the same title. What filmviewers observe is that the play’s director, Simon (played by Simon Abkarian), rounds up a group of actors to depict various scenes. But they are not enthusiastic about their roles. Meanwhile, protesters outside the theater where the play is to be performed for a single night believe that justice is appropriate but that the play is a mere commercialization of their holocaust and oppose the subplot of a Turkish soldier saving an young Armenian lady (Angela Sarafyan). Various facts about the mistreatment of Armenians are recited in the film, but the backstage drama is unimpressive, supposed ghosts appear contrived, and the play itself seems pedestrian in comparison with the significance of the topic. MH