Anti-Genocide Film ‘Screamers’ Plays To Overflow Crowd On Capitol Hill
ASBAREZ, 1/20/2007
WASHINGTON–A standing room only audience joined with Members of
Congress, film industry leaders, and genocide prevention advocates for
a special Capitol Hill screening of Screamers, the gripping
documentary about the multi-platinum, Grammy-award winning band
"System Of A Down’s" campaign to end the cycle of genocide, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America.
The screening, held in the Mumford Room of the Library of Congress,
was hosted by Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), the Save Darfur coalition, ANCA
Endowment Fund, and The Raffy Manoukian Charity. Joining Reps. Schiff
and Pallone at the program were their colleagues, Shelley Berkley
(D-NV), Lois Capps (D-CA), James Moran (D-VA), and Bart Stupak (D-MI),
as well as Dan Glickman, a former US Representative from Kansas and
Secretary of Agriculture who currently serves as the President of the
Motion Picture Association of America. Congressional staff
representing more that 50 Senate and House offices were also in
attendance.
The program was opened by the evening’s master of ceremonies Professor
Paul Rothstein, a distinguished professor at Georgetown University’s
Law School and a frequent contributor to nationally televised news
programs. He welcomed Congressmen Schiff and Pallone to offer remarks
and then invited the film’s director Carla Garapedian to introduce
Screamers.
In his opening remarks, Rep. Adam Schiff spoke forcefully about the
importance of educating people about genocide and taking action to
prevent it. "The reality is that as much as we say "never again",
whether it is the Armenian Genocide or the Holocaust, it does happen
again, it is happening today. The terrible and remarkable fact is
that half way around the world in Darfur there is a genocide happening
as we sit here tonight.
And it is very hard to speak with moral authority about the genocide
happening now, if we are not prepared to speak with moral authority
about the genocide that took place in 1915."
Rep. Pallone cited the important role that citizen activism plays in
genocide recognition and prevention. "I have been around a long time
now–almost 20 years–and the one thing I will say is that the
Armenian Community and those associated with them, who are determined
that the Armenian Genocide be affirmed by this Congress, by Turkey and
by the world, are resolute. They will never stop. They will continue
to "scream" until everyone recognizes the Armenian Genocide. And that
is why this film is so important."
Following the 90-minute film presentation, the audience participated
in a panel discussion moderated by Professor Rothstein and including
Screamers director Garapedian, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian,
and Save Darfur Policy Director Alex Meixner. Garapedian noted that
"Genocide denial is the last stage of genocide, as Elie Wiesel so
wonderfully and eloquently said. And because we are living in the
politics of denial now, it creates for us a disconnection to a sense
of who we are as human beings and it sends the message out to our
children, that this, the greatest test to our humanity and our
civilization– to stop the annihilation of a people–that we allow,
this to occur.
This is not a message we should be sending to our children."
"Unfortunately the precedent set in the case of the Armenian Genocide
is that genocide can be committed with impunity," explained Hamparian.
"Hopefully this movie will help turn the tide by inspiring a
generation of Screamers to set the record straight and show that
genocide cannot be committed without impunity. When the perpetrators
and potential future perpetrators of genocide understand that, the
world will be a safer place from the scourge of this terrible crime."
Meixner, whose organization, Save Darfur, represents some 170
organizations and over 130 million people, noted the important steps
toward ending the genocide in Darfur. "The first thing that must be
done is to get the attention of the Administration and of
Congress. The second thing that must be done is to get them to take
action. We have seen over a million emails and postcards go to the
Congress and Administration this year, and yet, the genocide
continues. It is one thing to get people screaming; it is another to
get governments acting– and that is what we hope this film will help
accomplish."
The Capitol Hill screening of Screamers came on the eve of the
impending introduction of Armenian Genocide legislation, led by
Representatives Schiff, Pallone, George Radanovich (R-CA) and Armenian
Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). The legislation, similar to
that introduced in the previous session of Congress, already has the
support of over 110 members of Congress.
"Screamers is about exposing the denial of all genocide, Armenia, the
Holocaust, Cambodia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda, the Iraqi Kurds and the
current horror in Darfur," said Garapedian. "It is about making sure
the same critical message George Clooney and Don Cheadle are
‘screaming’ about is heard, that these atrocities ‘never happen
again.’ And I believe, it is this generation, the ‘screamers’, who
will make sure all genocide is recognized and ends, because
‘screamers’ will no longer tolerate or accept previous generations of
politicians and humanitarians who have so miserably failed them."
Screamers premiered at the American Film Institute Film Festival on
November 2 and won the coveted AFI Audience Award. On hand for the
opening were Garapedian, System Of A Down band members Serj Tankian,
John Dolmayan and Shavo Odadjian, producers Pete McAlevey and Tim
Swain, sponsor Raffy Manoukian of The Raffy Manoukian Charity and a
host of genocide recognition and prevention activists from the ANCA,
Save Darfur, and other groups.
Screamers is a production of MG2 productions in association with BBC
Television and The Raffy Manoukian Charity. Garapedian, a veteran
reporter who has made a career of covering the most difficult stories,
from Chechenya to repression in Afghanistan, follows the European tour
of System Of A Down and their ongoing efforts, through music and
activism, to raise awareness about denial of all genocide, tracing the
band members’ own personal journey of their grandparents surviving the
Armenian Genocide and its legacy of a century of atrocities.
The film, distributed by Maya Entertainment, is currently playing in
the Los Angeles area and will open on January 26 in New York and
Washington, and on February 9 in Boston, Worcester, Mass. and Chicago.
On December 22, during an ANCA-Western Region press conference outside
of the opening of the film in Encino, California, Congressman Brad
Sherman (D-CA) and Garapedian spoke to the media about ending the
cycle of genocide, from the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to the Genocide
going on in Darfur today.