TIES BETWEEN PEOPLES ARE TIGHTENED BY CULTURE
Haber Merkezi, Talin Suciyan

BÝA, Turkey
Nov 2 2006

"I have been in Istanbul for two times, but did not feel I was in
Turkey. In Diyarbakir I had that feeling that I am in Turkish land,
although I met only Kurdish and Zaza people there," says Armenian
intellectual Artsvi Bakhchinyan after visiting Turkey.

BÝA (Yerevan) – I was thrilled when I received an email from Armenian
film researcher and my friend Dr. Artsvi Bakhchinyan (*) giving me
the good news that he was coming to Turkey. After 5 years, we would
have the chance to see each other again. But, soon I had to face
the irony of a life which is always on the roads, not permitting me
to go to Istanbul from Ankara. As a result, unfortunately I could
not meet him, I could not listen to his lectures, I could not share
his experiences in Turkey this time. Talking to him on the phone, I
suggested sending him some questions online and conducting an online
interview. He responded with his usual encouraging manner. Here are
Artsvi Bakhchinyan’s answers to my questions, and his impressions
from Turkey.

We know that you have been in Turkey before, as a member of the jury
at Istanbul Film Festival, what was your purpose of visiting Turkey
this time?

It was unforgettable time when in 1999 I participated in Istanbul
Film Festival as FIPRESCI jury member by invitation of Atilla Dorsay,
your well-known film critic. In the same jury was also Alin Taþcýyan,
my very dear colleague and friend, who was the member of Armenian
Panorama jury in this year Golden Apricot Yerevan International
Film Festival. Seven years ago in Istanbul the FIPRESCI prize was
awarded by Yeþim Ustaoðlu, who also was winner of last year’s Golden
Apricot Festival and this year also participated in Yerevan festival
as international jury member. As you see, there are Armenian-Turkish
cultural connections in the field of cinema, which I hope should
be developed.

Anadolu Kultur Association had project to organize screening of
Armenian films in Istanbul as well as in some other city in Turkey.

This time it was Diyarbakir. The program officer of Anadolu Kultur,
Kubilay Ozmen, who has visited Armenia this year, contacted the Golden
Apricot office, asking for providing four Armenian films. The festival
office suggested three films by Harutyun Khachatryan: "Return to
the Promised Land," "Documentalist," "Return of the Poet," as well
as Albert Lazarian’s "Merry Bus. "Return of the Poet" screened at
the Diyarbakir Art Center and Mithat Alam Film Center of Bogazici
University. Only it was in Bilgi University that all four films
were screened.

This was your first visit to Diyarbakir, what was your impression as
a foreigner and as an Armenian?

I have been in Istanbul for two times, but did not feel I was in
Turkey. In Diyarbakir I had that feeling that I am in Turkish land,
although I met only Kurdish and Zaza people there. Their interest
and attitude toward the Armenian guest was very warm. For me it
was thrilling to see the remnants of the Armenian church. It is a
unique architectural monument that can be one of the beautiful sights
Diyarbakir. Unfortunately the roof doe snot exist anymore but I have
heard it is going to be recovered. The Armenian monuments in Eastern
and Southern Turkey have important significance for the world cultural
heritage so they need a special treatment from the government.

Which films were shown in Diyarbakir? Can you tell us about the
feedbacks?

Only the "Return of the Poet" was screened in Diyarbakir. Before
that there was an interactive discussion not only about the cinema
but also about Armenian-Kurdish relations generally. I had a project
to organize an Armenian-Kurdish film festival in Diyarbakir and not
only there. The very first film about the Kurds is made in Armenia
in 1926, by the founder of Armenian cinema Hamo Beknazaryan. By the
way, this film, "Zare," is the second feature film production of
Soviet Armenia. There are also some other films, both features and
documentaries, that have been made about the Kurds in Armenia. I mean
particularly Hineer Salem’s films, "Vodka Lemon" of which was rather
successful in international festival and was screened in Istanbul
as well.

You gave some lectures in Istanbul too, on which subjects did you
talk? How was the reaction in the conferences and screenings held
in Istanbul?

I gave talks about the past and present of the Armenian cinema.

Although the Istanbul audience had no problem with English and I also
could give my talk in English, I preferred to talk Armenian and my
colleague and friend Sevan Ataoðlu translated it into Turkish. I am
sure that the neighbour peoples do not need intermediary languages;
it is always preferable to speak in our native languages.

As I said already, because the audience of Diyarbekir was consisted of
Kurds, their questions were mainly about their own connections with
Armenia. Few people came to the meeting at Bilge University, but in
Bosporus University the audience was very active and professional.

I am especially impressed by the enthusiasm of the director of Mithat
Alam Film Centre, Yamac Okur. We both are full of decisiveness to
continue our cooperation. He gave me DVD-s of recent Turkish short
films, which I would like to suggest including in the program of
Golden Apricot 2007. The cultural cooperation is the best way for
dialogues between nation, especially between Armenians and Turks,
which are, as we always know, are more than complicated.

The last day of your stay coincided 12th of October, the day on
which French parliament accepted the law penalizing the denial of
Armenian genocide and Orhan Pamuk got the Nobel prize. What do you
think about these two historical developments occurred during your
stay in Turkey? Did these developments cause any change in program?

I was almost sure that Orhan Pamuk should be this year Nobel Prize
winner! I hope this the most prestigious literary award will always
remind Turkish society of what calibre of writer Pamuk is and hereby
will seriously think about what he says.

The organizers first thought that because of the decision of French
parliament it would be better to cancel the screenings and to have
the lecture only for the closed audience. Fortunately that did not
happen, the lecture hall was open, yet few people came and only three
questions were given to me. Of course I was hearing "Ermenistan" and
"Ermeniler" all the time by radio and TV, I saw the demonstrators
near the Ataturk monument and how was the security of the French
consulate on Ýstiklal Caddesi was strengthened. I am sure if I have
had my lecture in some city cinemas nationalists could come to throw
tomatoes or eggs on me just because I am Armenian. But fortunately I
was in one of the best universities of Istanbul, which already run
a conference on Armenians. It is time of breaking the taboos and
for open and sincere dialogue. Enough of nationalism which does not
build only ruins. I am absolutely sure that the Armenian and Turkish
"enthusiasts of cinema" like me, Yamac, Alin, Yeþim, Sevan, Kubilay,
are able to make our humble contribution in the process of healing
the distorted relations between our people.

___________________________________ (*) Artsvi Bakhchinyan, born 1971,
Yerevan, philologist, film researcher, Dr. of Armenian language and
literature. Contributed to periodicals of Armenia and abroad with
articles on film, culture and various fields of Armenian studies. He is
the vice president of Armenian branch of FIPRESCI (International Union
of Film Critics and Cinema Journalists). Co-editor of "Armenian Cinema
1924-1999: a complete filmography" catalogue (Yerevan, 2001). Author of
books: "Armenians by Origin" (a biographical dictionary of Armenian
Diaspora: Yerevan, 1993), "Figures of Armenian Origin" (Yerevan,
2002), "Napoleon Bonaparte and the Armenians" (Yerevan, 2003),
"Armenia-Scandinavia: Historical and Cultural Relations" (Yerevan,
2003), "Armenians in World Cinema" (Yerevan, 2004), "Armenia-Sweden"
(in English, 2006).

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