TURKEY WILL WATCH TODAY ATOM EGOYAN’S “ARARAT” FILM

ArmRadio.am
13.04.2006 16:53

Today Turkey will watch Atom Egoyan’s “Ararat” film. Last year an
attempt was made to screen this film telling about the Armenian
Genocide in one of the cinemas of Istanbul.

However, its screening was canceled because of the protests raised
by nationalist groups. This evening the film will be aired by private
KanalTurk TV Channel.

How has the film found itself in Turkey? A Turk engaged in the sale of
films brought it to Turkey, and corresponding bodies did not prohibit
this. One of the Turkish Companies acquired the permission to screen
the film and attempted in 2005 to present it to the attention of
the public. Neither last year, nor this time the Turkish government
prohibited the screening of the film. The heads of the above-mentioned
companies were just afraid of the threats of the nationalists to set
the cinemas on fire.

Editor-in-chief of the Armenian “Agos” newspaper of Istanbul Hrant Dink
told “Radiolur” correspondent Maria Papyan that he watched the film at
the Kahn festival, after which he tried to bring it to Turkey. However,
he did not manage this again because of Turk nationalists.

“These days Turks raised a noise that Hrant Dink does not like the
film,” the editor noted.

KanalTurk will air the film without cuts and censorship.

According to Hrant Dink, the Spokesman of the above-mentioned TV
Company said that the decision to screen the film was taken after the
survey revealed 72 percent of the citizens willing to see Egoyan’s
film on the Armenian Genocide.

How did it happen that a private TV Company is airing a film
contradicting to Turkish history? Doesn’t Turkey, knocking the doors
of the European Union, try to present itself to the international
community in the most advantageous way?

At least for us, Armenians, the reasons of screening the film are
clear.