SPECIAL LESSON: WAS PRESENTED THE FILM "AUCTION OF SOULS"
Aysor
April 21 2010
Armenia
By the initiation of the RA education and science ministry, Yerevan
Municipality and Armenian Genocide Institute – Museum today in the
62nd secondary school was organized a special lesson dedicated to the
95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The special lesson for
the 10th form pupils was conducted by the RA education and science
ministers Armen Ashotyan, RA Disapora minister Hranush Hakobyan and
the RA culture Minister Hasmik Poghosyan.
As the information and public relations department of the RA Science
and Education informs Minister A. Ashotyan mentioned that that type of
visits are important for the RA Government and the RA Prime Minister
has informed all ministers that they should make tradition the personal
contact with the school environment.
At first they watched the film called an "Auction of souls", which
was the first fiction shot about the Armenian genocide with the
participation of an Armenian girl who survived the Armenian Genocide,
Arshaluys Martikyan. The movie was shot in 1918 in California by the
American Metro Goldwin Mayer film production. The director is Oskar
Apfeli and was shot just after the Genocide based on the book written
by one of the survivors. The book on which was taken the film is called
"Lacerated Armenia".
The film "Auction of souls" was presented in New York in 1919 on
February 16.
Generally the film has been shown in 23 states of the USA, in Latin
America, in Great Britain, and has gained exceptional success in
almost everywhere. Later on the film has disappeared and the historians
have tried to find the 9 parts of the film, but all in vain. The full
version of the film, unfortunately, has not preserved till now. And
it was only by the efforts of Edward Gozalyan that one part of the
film, which is kept in the Museum-Institute of Armenian Genocide,
was found in 1994.
After watching the film with the pupils the three ministers conducted
a special lesson about the Genocide in different classrooms, as well
as about the state and the patriotism.